Defender of Lorien

As everyone took their places, Anya could feel the mood change from cheerful and happy to very serious. Anya couldn’t help but wonder what was going through everyone’s minds. Too bad I'm not in Lorien right now, she thought, then I could just read everyone’s minds. Everything became deadly silent. It felt like nature itself had become frozen. Then Elrond’s booming voice broke the silence.

“Now that everyone is present we can begin this meeting,” he began, “Here, my friends, is the hobbit, Frodo, son of Drogo.” As he said this everyone turned in their seats and looked Frodo over, who fidgeted under everyone’s stare, “Few have ever come hither on an errand more urgent. And now that we all know Frodo, I believe it is time that he know us as well.” And with that Elrond began to introduce everyone to Frodo. First there was a red headed dwarf named Gimli and his other fellow dwarves. Then Legolas was introduced as the messenger for King Thranduil from Northern Mirkwood, who was Legolas’s Father and Anya's uncle on her mother’s side. Anya couldn’t help but giggle quietly to where only Legolas heard her.

“What?” he mouthed to her.

“When did you become a messenger boy?” she teased him. Legolas just gave her an annoyed look then focused back on the meeting. Elrond introduced Anya as a representative of Lady Galadriel of Lorien. After her, Elrond introduced Aragorn, a close friend of her for the past fifty years. Then there was the man from Gondor, the one that had caught her when she’d fallen off her horse from exhaustion, his name was Boromir. He had brownish red hair, and from the look in his steel grey eyes, you could tell that he had seen many battles and lived. He seemed at ease, but she could tell from the way his hands kept clenching that he was nervous. Looking at his hand she noticed a fresh cut on his left index finger.

“Now that the introductions are made, we may continue on with the meeting,” Elrond said. Elrond began discussing all the things that had been occurring. Even though Anya did her best to gather information as to what was occurring throughout Middle Earth from her homeland, she was still shocked at some of the news she heard. One of the things that shocked her most came from a dwarf named Glóin.

“Oh Moria!,” Glóin groined, “we delved too deep for our own good. We woke a nameless fear in those mines. Not one dwarf has dared go through the doors of Khazad-Dûm. But then Balin left and took with him Ori, Oin, and many other dwarves. Unfortunately, that occurred nigh on thirty years ago. For a while they kept in contact, but eventually we lost contact and haven’t heard from them since. After a while a messenger finally came, but he wasn’t from Moria, but from Mordor. He asked our chieftain Dain to help find a hobbit and to get a ring from him. He said if we did this Moria would be ours forever. But if we refused horrid things would befall our people. Twice the messenger has come and gone unanswered. So, finally, Dain has sent me here to ask for helping advise from Elrond.”

“You have done well to come, for today your questions will be answered. For that is the reason,” he said gesturing to everyone, “you have come hither. Now I shall begin the tall of the ring while others shall finish it.” Then Elrond began in his clear voice and everyone listened. He told of the forging of the ring, and of Isildur taking the ring. When Elrond finished the man, Boromir, asked leave of Elrond. He spoke of the peril Gondor would soon be in, and of how smoke was now again rising from Mount Doom, then he retook his seat.

“Now that everyone knows of the peril spreading throughout Middle Earth,” Elrond stated, “we are all in understanding. Frodo, you may now bring forth the ring.” At the mention of the ring, gasps were heard from every mouth.

“You mean to tell us that that atrocid ring has been in our midst this whole time,” Anya said astonished. At Anya's outburst, Frodo became intimidated.

“Frodo,” Elrond said, “please bring the ring.” And with that Frodo got up from his seat and set the ring on the stone tablet, “the only way to truly destroy Sauron is to destroy the ring.”

“If destroying it is what you want,” the red headed dwarf named Gimli said, “then destroy it I shall.” As he said this he pulled out his axe and ran at the ring. Before anyone could stop him his axe was coming down at the ring. The next thing Anya knew, pieces of Gimli’s axe head were flying in her direction. She ducked as one piece imbedded itself in her chair, where her head had been only seconds before.

“No Gimli son of Glóin,” Elrond said, “it is not that simple. The ring can only be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, where it was forged.” As Elrond said this, Gimli’s father Glóin helped his son to his feet, “and one of you must do this.”

At this the meeting went crazy. Everyone got to their feet and were yelling at one another. Anya and Legolas were holding back their elders to keep them from fighting the dwarves. Unfortunately, Gimli decided to smart off to Legolas, calling him a pointy-eared yellow belly, and Anya ended up having to hold him back as well.

Over to her left, Anya could hear Gandalf shouting at someone. Everyone seemed to be at everyone’s throat. But the chaos was pierced by a voice, the voice of a small hobbit.

“I’ll do, I’ll take the ring,” Frodo said, and everything went silent as everyone looked at the little hobbit, “though, I do not know the way.”

“Then I will bare this burden with you, as long as it is yours to bare,” Gandalf said walking over to Frodo. Anya couldn’t believe it, this little hobbit was volunteering to go to Mordor, did he know what he was getting himself into?

“And you will have my sword,” Aragorn declared.

“And you will have my bow,” Legolas said, pushing Anya's hand from his shoulder as he walked up to the hobbit. Anya couldn’t believe her ears or eyes. Then something came to mind, she could help. If this little hobbit was willing to sacrifice his life then she wanted to help him, at whatever cost.

“Then you will also have my skills,” Anya said and walked up to the hobbit with a smile on her face.

“And my Axe,” Gimli said, and he took his spot next to the brave hobbit as well. Everyone was astonished at the scene in front of them.

“If this is truly what is to be, then I swear, Gondor will see it through,” Boromir said and joined the growing group. Then out of nowhere another hobbit came running up.

“Hey!” he yelled, “mister Frodo isn’t going anywhere without me.” The hobbit was about the same hit as Frodo, if not barely taller. He had blonde hair and was slightly chubby. I wonder what he’s doing here, Anya thought.

“You’ve proven that,” Elrond said with an amused smile, “because Frodo was summoned to this meeting and you were not.” Everyone laughed while the hobbit blushed. While all of this was going on, two more hobbits appeared, also wanting to join the group. Everyone was bewildered at the amount of people going on the quest.

One of the hobbits that had just joined seemed to be a little arrogant as he said, “Besides, you’re going to need people of intelligence on this quest…. Journey…. Thing.”

“Well that rules you out Pip,” one of the other hobbits said to him, making Anya laugh.

“Ten companions,” Elrond stated, “you shall be known as the fellowship of the ring.” Anya held her head high and proud.

“So, where are we going?” Pip asked.