8A/N: The long awaited Council of Rivendell! (trumpet fanfare). I hope I put in enough of my characters to make this interesting. If not I apologize it was hard for mer to decide where to insert them. After all this scene flows so well in the movie. Amelia has already made up her mind that she is going on this quest no matter what she has to do. Let's see how this turns out shall we?
I do not own anything from Lord of the Rings. J.R.R Tolkien's estate has that honor. Amelia, Jeremy and Chelsea, and Amber belong to me.
On with the show!
P.S. the council is a bout a week after her recovery... if it says something else last chapter, that is a typo and will be fixed later.
Chapter 5
Amelia and her friends were very excited that they were to attend the council of Rivendell. They sat to Gandalf's left between him and the Elves of Mirkwood. This left Amelia sitting next to Legolas, which pleased her as she and Legolas had become quite good friends since her recovery. He had even begun to teach her archery, which she was learning surprisingly fast, for a human. She studied the rest of the circle. Left of the elves of Mirkwood were the dwarves, consisting in part of Gimli and his father Gloin. Aragorn was next then Boromir son of Denethor and the men of Gondor. The elves of Rivendell sat with Elrond at their head. Frodo was last between the wizard and the Elf Lord. Mia studied the Hobbit and soon to be ring bearer, he looked as nervous as the young woman felt. Elrond stood to begin the council.
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-earth stands on 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." Amelia played rapt attention to everything that was said, becoming emersed in the severity of the situation, she saw Legolas glance at Aragorn his old friend, "Bring forth the ring, Frodo." The moment was tense and all attention was focused on Frodo. Except for Mia, she watched Boromir, trying to ignore the poisonous whispers of the Ring of Power, she knew what came next. They all stared at the ring as it seemed to whisper to each of them. Seductive lies and promises flowed from the Ring of Power like honey from the comb,the 'voice' somehow seemed familiar to Amelia. All seemed to resist it… all that is but Boromir.
He stood, his voice a steady and warm baritone, "In a dream," his voice sounded a little distant, "I saw the eastern sky grow dark but in the west a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: 'your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found." Mia could see the blank almost hypnotized look in Boromir's eyes as he stared at the ring and began to reach for it, "Isildur's Bane…"
Elrond tried to bring the man to reason, "Boromir!" he stood.
Gandalf followed suit, speaking in the terrible language of Mordor, the words invisibly engraved on the ring, "Ash nazg durbatulÛk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulÛk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul." As he spoke the words Boromir retreated to his seat. Gimli cried out whilst Elrond held his head. As if in pain, as Amelia covered her own ears she saw Legolas grimace at the sound of the words. All of the woman's friend's were quite pale. She could understand the held-in-check anger in Elrond's voice when he next spoke.
"Never before has anyone uttered words of that tongue here in Imladris."
Gandalf met the eyes of all in the circle as he replied, "I do not ask you pardon Master Elrond for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the west. The ring is altogether evil."
Boromir shook his head as the wizard reclaimed his seat, Amelia looked at him with pity… all he wanted was to protect his people, "Aye it is a gift," again he rose, "A gift to the foe's of Mordor. Why not use this ring?" enthusiastically he addressed the whole assembly, "Long has my father, the steward of Gondor kept the forces Mordor at bey. By the blood of our people all your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him." Amelia could not be silent and so spoke just before Aragorn was to voice the same thought
"You will not be able to wield it Boromir." She spoke with firm confidence that she by no means felt.
"None of us can." Aragorn finished as Boromir looked between the girl and ranger, "the One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
"And what would a mere girl and Ranger know of this matter?" the Gondorian sneered. Aragorn's face remained impassive, a skill Amelia envied as she felt the colour rise in her own cheeks.
Legolas stood to defend his friends, "Amelia has as much right to speak as any at this council. And this is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn son of Arathorn, you owe him your allegiance." Amelia was extremely pleased that the Elf Prince would defend her, for they were not as well aquainted as the elf and Ranger.
"Aragorn! This…" Boromir's surprise and disbelief was evident as he studied Aragorn, "is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Legolas insisted his eyes boring into the Gondorian's.
Aragorn motioned with his hand towards the elf waving him off slightly, "Havo dad, Legolas." The elf looked slightly confused but returned to his seat.
Boromir's voice now filled with scorn, "Gondor has no king, Gondor needs no king." Then he too returned to his seat.
In the silence that followed Mia leaned closer to Legolas and whispered, "Diola lle."
With a small smile the prince replied, "Ta naa seasamin."
"Aragorn and Amelia are right. We cannot use it." Gandalf sighed a little, this is where Elrond picked up.
"You have but one choice. The ring must be destroyed."
Gimli jumped to his feet speaking for the first time, with a voice that spoke of deep earth and tumbling stones, "Then what are we waiting for?" he pulled out his axe and leapt towards the ring. Amelia's warning came to late.
"Wait! Don't!" there was a blinding flash as Gimli's axe shatterd on the ring, which was left shining innocently without a scratch. The dwarf had been thrown back by the force of his blow and was now being helped to his feet bretheren.
Still as calm as ever Elrond said, "The ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft we here possess. The ring was made fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it unmade. It must be cast into the fiery chasm from whence it came." The ring began to whisper a new, Elrond's eyes flickered only momentarily in its direction, "One of you," His eyes traveled the circle pausing at Mia with his intense gaze. Mia of course guessed that her past had something to do this, but she refused to lower her gaze. She would not let Elrond intimidate her, "must do this."
Boromir leaned his forehead against his hand looking forelorn, "one does not simply walk into Mordor." He looked up, "its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is an evil there that does not sleep." This line caused the little hairs on the back of Mia's neck to stand on end, " and the great eye is ever watchful. Tis a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breath is poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this." He shook his head at the impossibility of it, "It is folly." Mia did not approve of his negativity, keeping mind that even now the ring was starting to work on his mind. She could see Jeremy out of the corner of her eyes watching the Gondorian with narrowed eyes. Amber and Chelsea held hands looking determined.
Legolas leapt to his feet, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The ring must be destroyed." His words fortified the four young humans in their conviction to do whatever they could to help destroy this evil. Gimli destroyed the effect of the Elf prince's words.
"An I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" he growled.
Boromir called out and Mia could see that his comment was mostly aimed at Gandalf, "And if we fail what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"
Amelia barely had enough time to mutter, "Oh boy, here we go!" to Jeremy on her right before Gimli jumped to his feet again.
"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf." All of the Mirkwood elves jumped to their feet ready to defend their prince. Even some of Rivendell elves stood, though Elrond did not. Amelia could see annoyance (or was anger?) in Legolas' eyes but he exhibited great restraint, extending his arms to either side of his body to hold back his kindred. Gimli continued to add wood to the fire, "never trust an elf!" Now everyone was getting in on the argument.
Gandalf tried to quell the fighting, "Do you not understand that while we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows?! None can escape it! You will all be destroyed!"
Mia and her friends who along with Strider and Elrond and Frodo had not joined the argument watched with unease.
"Well…," Jeremy utilized his sarcasm, "This is great."
"It's ridiculous!" Mia interjected, "We are all in the same boat here. So we might as well learn to get along and work together."
"A house divided cannot stand." Amber and Chelsea chorused. Then Mia's gaze fell on Frodo. She knew what he was seeing as the ring whispered to him.
The hobbit finally rose from his seat, "I will take it," no one took any notice, "I will take it!" he yelled a little louder and everyone quieted down very quickly to see the littlest of them stepping forward to accept such a heavy burden without fear, "I will take the ring to Mordor. Though… I do not know the way."
There was a sadness in Gandalf's eyes as he responded, "I will help you bare this burden Frodo Baggins," the wizard moved to stand behind the hobbit placing his hand on Frodo's shoulder, "as long as it is yours to bear."
Aragorn got to his feet for the first time since the council began and moved towards the small being, "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will," He knelt to his friend, "You have my sword."
"And you have my bow." Legolas moved forward.
Not to be out done Gimli added, "And my axe." The elf looked a little less than thrilled by this commitment.
Mia and her friends stood, "You are not leaving us behind." Mia declared.
"All for one and one for all!" Chelsea and Amber cheered in perfect unrehearsed unison. Jeremy nodded once.
"You carry the fate of us all little one," Boromir was the last to step forward, "if this is indeed the will of the council then Gondor will see it done."
"Hey!" Sam shouted scrambling from behind a bush to join Frodo, "Mister Frodo's not going anywhere without me."
Elrond sounded stern but there was amusement in his eyes, "No indeed it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is invited to a secret council and you are not!" Sam looked a little embarrassed. Merry and Pippin had no such qualms about eaves dropping and dodged out from behind the pillars where they had been listening.
"Wait!" Merry called, "We're coming too." Elrond looked astonished, Mia found it amusing to see the elf so surprised, "You'd have send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."
"Anyway," Pippin added standing next to Mia, "You need people of intelligence on this sort of mission… quest…. Thing."
Amelia and Merry spoke in unison, "well that leaves you out Pip." Mia had also gotten to know the two hobbit cousins over her time in Rivendell.
Elrond looked at the group ranged around Frodo, "Thirteen companions… so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"
"Great!" Pippin enthused, "Where are we going?" Amber, Chelsea and Mia burst out laughing.
A/N: The end... of this chapter. lol. I hope it was okay. maybe I should have put in more of Mia's bonding with Merry and Pip. I hope you Guys liked it.
Translations:
Havo dad - sit down
Diola lle - Thank you
Ta naa/nae seasamin - it (is/was) my pleasure
Alright next chapter Mia meets the rest of the fellowship and doesn't get along with some of them. and they set out on their journey.
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Kairi's Twin.