Estella awoke the next morning to birds singing outside and she smiled. She loved mornings, for it was peaceful and quiet. It was her sanctuary away from her aunt and cousins constant pestering.
Now, since she has been here in this new world, the mornings brought new light to her life, and she enjoyed it even more. Not having to worry about being yelled out or being accused of things that she didn't do and rushing to get things done. Bathing in cold water was no longer something she had to deal with and was able to keep herself clean for once.
Sitting up in the bed, she stretched up her arms above her head and heard the birds chirping again outside. Pulling back the covers, she slid out of bed and walked over to the balcony to enjoy the view before her. Never seeing a sight like what she was seeing now and a part of her still couldn't believe it was real.
Just before her laid a garden, the sun casting a light glow amongst it and giving it that magical feeling. A slight breeze tousled her hair, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind as it blew about. Hearing some birds singing overhead, she looked up smiling as her necklace began sparkling in the early morning sun.
After she stood there for a short time, reminiscing about the servants back home and wondered if they were doing well. Since she was no longer there, the only thing that weighed on her mind is on how well they are faring without her there and if they were treated ok. Hopefully they weren't punished for her sudden disappearance.
Letting out a soft sigh, she then heads back inside the room and began getting dressed for the day. Choosing a red dress, she slid it on and found that it looked great on her. Brushing out her hair, she pulled it back into a half ponytail and then slipped on her shoes before heading out of the room.
Making her way down the corridors, she noticed that not many were out and about this morning. Which is perfect, at least she'll have some time to herself, and she made her way towards the gardens.
When she got there, she noticed that Legolas was there standing in front of a tree with his hands behind his back. Slowly turning around, she tried to sneak off when his voice stopped her,
"You don't have to leave, Mellon nin." Causing her to turn around to see him looking at her with a warm smile that made her heart quiver, and it confused her. As this feeling was new to her and never once experience something like this before. Sensing her uneasiness, he says, "Come stand by me. I want to show you something." (My Friend)
Getting her body to move, she walks up towards him as she asks, "What does that mean? I've heard someone else call that me before and wondered about what it meant."
"It means, my friend," he tells her with a smile, which she returns. When she finally reaches his side, he points towards a group of flowers nearby that made her gasp out in shock.
There, glowing in the morning sun was the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen, and she walks up a bit more. Kneeling to get a better look, she reached out and lightly touched one of the flowers. Admiring its beauty as Legolas exclaims, "They are called 'Elanor's', Sun Stars and they are a favorite of Lord Elrond."
Rising to her feet, she looks around them and says in awe, "They are beautiful, as is this garden."
Which wasn't a lie; for back where she came from, the only beautiful garden was in the king's palace and even that didn't compare to this. Turning her gaze back to him, she gives a warm smile and what he saw had him gasping out lightly. For the morning sun had hit her hair in just the right angle and made her look like an angel in his eyes. Knowing that he was going to have a hard time getting her off his mind.
For the next few hours, they stood there in the garden as he went to tell her about Middle-Earth and then about his homeland in Mirkwood. Where she found it quite interesting and enjoyed hearing him talk.
One thing Legolas found out about her was that she was eager to learn and would listen intently. She even would ask questions and when he would answer, she would make remarks in regarding them. Intriguing him once more, everything about her intrigued him to where he was beginning to enjoy her company more and more.
Another hour had passed by, and it was about time for breakfast to be served. Legolas offered his arm to her, which she gladly hooked her arm into his and made their way out of the garden.
Just as they were exiting, they caught sight of Aragorn walking up towards them with a warm smile and Estella returned the smile as she greeted, "Good morning, Aragorn."
"Good morning, Estella. I assume your walk in the garden was to your satisfaction?" Aragorn greeted back with a nod, and she happily replied,
"It was indeed to my satisfaction. Legolas has shown me around and was great company." Upon hearing this, Legolas couldn't help but smile at this and looks down at her. Happy to know that she enjoyed his company as he did hers and Estella then turns her attention to him with a bow saying, "l truly enjoyed our time together and I want to thank you for telling me about your world. If you'll excuse me, I think a bath is needed for I was in a rush this morning to see the beauty of the garden."
"l will see you at breakfast then?" Legolas asks and she smiles.
"Of course," she states with a chuckle. "l wouldn't want to pass up breakfast."
"Until then," he says with a bow and gives her a small smile before heading off with Aragorn towards the Dining Hall.
Estella turns on her feet and begins making her way towards her bed chamber to get a much-needed bath. Quite getting used to the changes her life has taken and enjoying this newfound freedom.
During breakfast was quite pleasant, except for the uneasy feeling that someone was watching her and it made her uncomfortable. So, she would whip up conversations with the Hobbits to try and take her mind off that feeling.
Every now and then, she would find herself talking to Aragorn and Legolas, who would try to learn more about her life. Which was mostly about her parents and her childhood friend. The only one she ever had and when she mentioned that it was a boy, she saw Legolas' face change. Unsure of what the reasoning was behind it, she decided to let it go and continue chatting with the Hobbits.
Now, it was after breakfast that she found herself sitting on one of the branches of a huge tree that sat in the courtyard and closed her eyes. Missing all the times she did this back at home. It was her way of getting some time alone to think and relax.
"Enjoying yourself, My Lady?" a familiar male voice asked, and she looked down to see Boromir looking up at her with amused eyes. "I haven't met a lady before who likes climbing trees. You surely are the first to intrigue me in that area. Do you do this often from where you hail?"
"Yes, quite often," Estella agreed with a small smile. "It helps me to relax, since I hardly get the chance back home."
"l guess that makes sense, considering you were a servant in your own home, you rarely get breaks," Boromir says with a nod. "Do other girls climb trees from where you hail as well?"
"Nay," she laughs. "They are much more lady-like than I am. I guess you could say I'm considered strange for doing so."
"Nay. You are fine the way you are," Boromir tells her and she says in a jesting manner,
"Men and their flattery. Tell me, do all men like to flatter girls in Middle-Earth?"
"Most do, yes," Boromir confesses with a smile. "The women and Ladies here like that sort of thing. It makes them feel special and loved."
"Hmmm, I guess I will just have to get used to it then, now wont l?" she states with a chuckle and Boromir laughs.
"If you solely wish to," he tells her, and she could only nod at this. Figuring that having men flatter her wouldn't be so bad after all, unless it went out of line and then she will have a say about it. Not that she doesn't like flattery; but some tend to take it to the extreme and that got under her skin.
Especially back where she came from, boys always flirted with the girls and acted like a bunch of fools. At least to her they did, but to the other girls around the place seemed to love it and she never understood why. Maybe it was because she never had anyone give her attention and that is why she found it disturbing.
Nonetheless, it is why she was never too big on all that flattery and attention. She guesses only time would tell, but not at this moment and after a moment of silence, Boromir asks, "Would you care to join me for a walk in the garden?"
"I would be most honored," Estella says with a nod and slowly makes her way own the tree. Boromir stood underneath, ready to catch her in case she fell and then realized that she was quite the pro in climbing trees.
This young woman had indeed intrigued him and when she reached the last branch that sat five feet off the ground, she dropped to the ground. Boromir offered her his arm and when she hooked her arm in his; they headed off towards the garden.
By the time lunch came around, Estella began to feel a little nervous about joining the counsel and Aragorn reassured her that there is nothing to be nervous about. He even suggested that she sit by him at the counsel if it would make her feel a little more at ease and she accepted. Lunch was quite cheery this evening and it was all thanks to Pippin and Merry once again, as they joked around.
Estela noticed that each of the Hobbit's had their own personality and their own quirks. Frodo, for instance was more of the calm and collected type, while Sam was more serious and mature than the others. Merry and Pippin however were a whole different story all together.
Together they were troublemakers and pranksters. Yet separately she could tell that Merry had his head more on his shoulders than his cousin Pippin. While Merry had more brains and common sense; Pippin had more spunk and so together that spelt trouble with a capitol T. They were in the middle of a crazy tale when Elrond stood up and interrupted them by saying,
"The counsel will commence in 15 minutes, so I hope to see everyone that is meant to be there. Until then, relax."
Estella once again excused herself and Legolas asked to join her on another walk through the gardens and she happily accepted. As they walked through the gardens again that day, Legolas couldn't help but be drawn to this beautiful woman beside him. It was both mystifying as well as nerve-racking to be drawn so close to someone who he barely knew for a week and yet he found himself not caring.
He would find himself talking over random things that had no meaning, but he rather enjoyed it, nonetheless. What was it about her that draws him so? Throughout his life, he has not met one maiden or she elf that he would seem interested in; except for Tauriel and after her banishment, he no longer knew what had happened to her.
Trying hard to not get close to anyone again, he distances himself from all the pretty she elves and maiden girls. That is, until Estella. No matter how much he tried to keep his distance, he couldn't keep his mind from thinking of her, so he decided to let it play out and see what happens.
When it was time for the counsel, he offered her his arm and she gladly accepted as she hooked her arm through his as he led her to where the counsel was being held.
Once there, she saw a circle of chairs that surrounded a white pedestal and a huge throne like chair off towards the left. Assumingly it was meant to be for Lord Elrond, and she looked around to see that only a few members had shown up.
Aragorn, she saw was sitting on the first seat to her right and he motioned to the seat next to him on his right. Which she accepted and walked over to take her seat next to him. Legolas gives them a nod as he walks by and take his seat next to a Dwarf whom she came to know as Gimli.
That's when she noticed that both didn't seem quite keen on sitting next to each other and she chuckled softly to herself. Remembering what Aragorn had told her about Elves and Dwarves not getting along with one another. All due to what happened during the dragon siege with Smaug the dragon and how the elves didn't help the dwarves in their time of need. Causing a rift between both their kind and has been that way ever since.
Understanding the Dwarves logic on that and why they would feel that way, it still left her confused on why it lasted this long. Deciding that it was not her place to pry on the matter, she looked continued to look around the council. Sitting across from her in the two-chairs next to Lord Elrond's place, she saw Gandalf and Frodo chatting amongst each other.
She noticed that every now and then, Frodo would cringe lightly in pain while clutching his left shoulder. Turning towards Aragorn, she was about to ask him what the reason was behind his pain when more people began to show up. A few she knew, but the others she did not and one she noticed made her feel uncomfortable with the glare he was giving her.
He was one of the Elves that must have come with Legolas, for he took his seat next to him and kept his gaze on her. Feeling unnerved by his constant glare, she quickly adverted her gaze and turns her attention to Aragorn. Whom she noticed was giving a glare towards the Elf's location and she placed a hand on his arm in comfort. Causing him to look down at her with a small smile, which she returned and began to feel himself relax.
Just being in her presence was like a peaceful waterfall, flowing over everyone she meets in a soothing wave. Everyone that is, except for a certain Elf sitting beside Legolas who keeps glaring over at her and making her feel uncomfortable.
Just as everyone took their seats, Lord Elrond then enters with his guards right behind him and walks over to his chair. Waiting till his guards took their seats, he then spoke the first words of the council,
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer to 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." Scanning the room around him, Lord Elrond's gaze then lands on Estella and gives her a warm smile before turning towards Frodo, saying, "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."
Estella noticed that Frodo hesitated for a moment before slowly walking up to the pedestal and placed the Ring in the center; before returning to his seat next to Gandalf. Everyone stared at the Ring, either with a look of fear and greed. Boromir's eyes, from what Estella could tell, glinted with malice as he glared at the Ring.
"So, it is true," he finally said as he leaned forward in his seat; his left elbow on his knee as his left hand rested on his chin before continuing, "lt is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" as he said this, he stood up and began pacing. "Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the force 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!" Estella spoke up as she rose to her feet. Even though she doesn't know much about this world yet and of the things surrounding it. She did know that a ring of evil will not be easily detoured from returning to its master and be used to do good. "A ring whose sole purpose is to return to its rightful master would not be so easy turned. For it has no other master."
"What right do you have to speak of this matter, when you are not of this world?" Boromir sneered at her as he stormed up to her, only to be blocked by Aragorn, who had a death glare in his eyes as if daring him to take another step.
"She might not have been part of this world all her life, but she is a part of it now. Whether you like it or not, she has a right to speak," Aragorn's voice was full of malice.
"And what would a Ranger know of what is right?" Boromir fumed.
Legolas stands up suddenly with an angry look on his face as he stated, "This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
"Aragorn?" Boromir turns towards to Aragorn with disbelief in his eyes. "This...is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the Throne of Gondor," Legolas finished; Estella and Frodo looked at Aragorn with wide eyes.
"Havo dad, Legolas," Aragorn said to him as he waved his hand in a gesture to calm the fuming elf. (Sit down)
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king," Boromir stated as he returned to his seat with a sigh.
Gandalf was the next to speak, "Estella is right. We cannot use it.
"We have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed," Elrond announced.
"What are we waiting for?" Gimli says as he grabs his axe and approaches the pedestal. "ARGH!" He strikes the Ring as hard as he can but was thrown back to the ground and pieces of Gimli's axe laid scattered about the Ring.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin by any craft that we here possess," Elrond stated. "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 into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this."
There was dead silence for what seemed like forever when Boromir spoke up, "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 breath is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"
Legolas stands up again, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"
At this, Gimli leaps to his feet, "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?!"
"And if we fail, what then?" Boromir says rising to his feet now. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!"
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli shouted.
Estella groaned as she sat back down in her seat as she watched the scene take place. Legolas held out his hands when the other Elves rose and started shouting at Gimli, to stop them from starting a fight.
As the fighting and arguing continued, Estella looked over at Elrond who had his hand on his head as if embarrassed on what was happening. She couldn't blame him, for fighting is pointless and it was something she learned from experience. More like, what her friend learned, and it was something she knew all to well.
Next thing she knew, she heard Frodo yell out, "I'll take it!"
Only, it seemed like no one had heard him and getting fed up with all of this, Estella did the only thing she could think of doing. Rising to her feet, she yells out,
"HEY! SHUT IT!" Everyone suddenly got quiet as they all turned to her with a shocked look on their faces. "Just look at yourselves! Fighting amongst each other like what the Dark Lord wants! He wants you to fight amongst each other so that way he'll have more control over your emotions! Is this what you want?!"
"Estella has made a valid point," Elrond agreed with a warm smile as he looked over at her. "For someone who hasn't been here very long, seems to have more sense in this matter than most of you here possess. Now, I think someone here has something he wants to say, Frodo."
"I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though...l do not know the way," Frodo replied.
Gandalf walks towards Frodo and places a hand on his shoulder as he says, "l will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, so long as it is yours to bear."
Aragorn rises and walks up towards Frodo as well. "If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will," he says as he kneels before him. "You have my sword."
"And you have my bow," Legolas says as he walks over and stands beside Frodo, and Aragorn stands to stand on the other side of Frodo.
"And my axe!" Gimli and Legolas exchange dark, looks.
Boromir approaches slowly and states, "You carry the fates of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the counsel, then Gondor will see it done."
"Hey!" a voice called out from behind bush. Sam runs out and stands beside Frodo. "Mr. Frodo is not goin' anywhere without me!"
"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret counsel and you are not," Elrond stated looking slightly amused. Another voice from behind Elrond yelled out,
"Wait! We are coming too!"
Merry and Pippin ran out from behind a pillar to Frodo's side. Elrond looked like he was going to die from all the things going on. He even looked to be thinking he needed more security around the palace and Estella muffled her laugh.
"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us," Merry said matter-of-factly.
"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest... thing," Pippin ended firmly and Merry turned to him.
"Well, that leaves you out Pip," he said, jesting.
Pippin looked at him in disbelief for a moment and Estella had to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud. Then she noticed that Frodo was looking at her now, his eyes seemed to be pleading with her to join.
"Miss Estella," Frodo said her name in a pleading tone and everyone now had their attention on her. Taking a deep breath, she rose to her feet and walked over towards him, saying,
"l know that we haven't known each other for very long, Frodo. I am not sure how much help I will be, but I will try my best to help you anyway that I can."
"Thank you," he thanks her with a huge smile and as she took her spot beside Aragorn who smiled over at her. Then turning their attention to Elrond, Estella saw him looking at her with pride in his eyes for a moment before turning serious.
"Ten Companions. So be it. Nine companions to match the nine Ring-wraiths and one to match the Dark-Lord Sauron. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
He had said this seriously, but you could tell he was proud at the bravery that everyone had possessed.
"Great," Pippin said, excitedly. "Where are we going?"
Everyone stared at him, shock written on their faces and Estella couldn't take it anymore as she laughed out loud, receiving weird looks from the group. Elrond chuckled as he shook his head before finally saying,
"You will be leaving in two months' time, so take the time to prepare yourselves. Counsel is adjourned. However, I would like to speak with Estella, Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir on a certain matter."