Beauty and a Beast

A few days later, it was now the Council of Elrond, and Elrond asked Arryn to attend. She did not question him, but she agreed. She bathed, brushed out her dark hair, and braided it, to make a bun at the back of her head. She stepped out of her room, only to find herself face-to-face with…Arwen!

“Hello Arwen. Are you still trying to surprise me? You should know that it is not wise to sneak up on a ranger…” She smirked. Her sister smiled at her.

“Father asked me to lead you to where the Council was being held…” She explained. Arryn laughed.

“Lead the way, Arwen…”

They walked to the square where the council was being held, Arwen asking Arryn about how it was like to be far away from home, for the longest time. Arryn thought that as long as she was with her brother, she was fine. When they reached the square, Arwen hugged Arryn goodbye, and she left. She took a deep breath, before walking up the square, and she sat down beside Aragorn.
The council had begun.

“Strangers from 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…” Elrond began. He gestured to the pedestal.

“Bring forth the Ring, Frodo.”
Frodo stood up, and he lay the Ring on the pedestal.

“So it is true... “
Arryn heard someone say. She saw Frodo return to his seat beside Gandalf. He seemed relieved, and she didn’t blame him. She didn’t understand on how he could carry the bloody thing. She saw that
the members of the Council stared at the Ring, mesmerised by it. It appears to start whispering to each of them in turn. Each person heard it differently.

“The Doom of Men…”
Someone said.
A man stood up, and he addressed the Council.

“In a dream, 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…” He approached the Ring on the plinth.

“Isildur's Bane is found.”
The man reached out, towards the Ring. Arryn’s eyes widened. Elrond jumped up.

“Boromir!” He said, harshly.

Arryn listened as the Ring began to utter a harsh chant. It hurt her ears to listen. She looked up to see that Gandalf had also stood up, and he began to chant in Black Speech. It seemed familiar to her. Even though it was the speech of Mordor, she seemed familiar with the language. Thunder crackled in the sky, as it darkened. She looked around to see that they Council was staring at him with fear and confusion in their eyes.

“Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul..”

*One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them.* Gandalf chanted.

Arryn listened as the voice of the Ring died away. Everyone sat back down, including Boromir.

“Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!”
Elrond said, coldly.

Gandalf spoke again, his voice still raspy from the force of the words, and of the language.

“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!” His voice made a shudder go down Arryn’s back. She noticed that Gandalf gave Boromir a scathing glance, before sitting back down

“It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring? 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!” Boromir began again.
Aragorn spoke up.

“You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master”

“And what would a ranger know of this matter?” Boromir asked

Legolas stood up quickly. "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance.” He said.

Boromir turned to look at Aragorn. “Aragorn? This... is Isildur's heir?”

“And heir to the throne of Gondor.” Legolas finished.

"Havo dad, Legolas…” Aragorn said.
*Sit down, Legolas.*

Boromir turned to return to his seat. “Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king.”

“Aragorn is right. We cannot use it.” Gandalf said

“You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed.” Elrond said. Just then, a Dwarf with a red beard stood up.

“Then what are we waiting for?”

The Dwarf grabbed an axe and he approached the pedestal. He struck the Ring with full force but he was repelled back, and it threw him to the ground. Arryn jumped as did Frodo. She knew that they both had seen the Eye of Sauron.

Aragorn noticed that she did, and he patted her clenched hand. Arryn looked up, as a shard of the Dwarves axe flew out towards her, and struck her across the cheek. Aragorn studied the cut on her face, and he turned and glared at the Dwarf. The Ring remains intact with the most of the shards of the axe all around it. Arryn heard as whispers in the black tongue issue forth from the Ring

“The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin, 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.”
Elrond said, with a stern look on his face

“Ash Nazg” Arryn heard as the Ring began to whisper

“One of you must do this.” He addressed the Council.

There was a dead silence in 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. It is folly!” Boromir said

“Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!” Legolas said, standing up

“And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?!” Gimli said, leaping to his feet

“And if we fail, what then?! What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!” Boromir said, as he also stood up

“I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf! Never trust an Elf!” She heard Gimli say.

“Do you not understand that while we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows?! None can escape it! You'll all be destroyed!”
Gandalf said, menacingly.

Arryn looked over at Frodo, as he was remained seated. Arryn’s attention drew to the Ring. The Angry figures of the Council were reflected on its surface. Flames suddenly flared up the sides, and the surface of the Ring. Arryn could hear the Ring whisper to herself and to Frodo,

“Ash Nazg Durbatulûk! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nazg Gimbatul!”

Arryn saw that slowly, but surely determination dawned on Frodo’s face. He stood up and he took a few steps towards the arguing council, trying to make his voice heard above the din.>

“I will take it! I will take it!” He said, trying to be loud. Arryn was furious, Frodo was trying to speak, and everyone else was arguing. Arryn stood up.

“Shut it!” She shouted. Everyone stopped arguing all at once.

“Thank you. Frodo has something to say…” She locked eyes with Frodo.

“Frodo…” She said, gently.

“Thank you Arryn. I will take it…”

Each of the Council members turned slowly around to face Frodo, with astonished looks on their faces

“I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though-- I do not know the way.” He said, again

“I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear”
Gandalf said as he walked towards Frodo, and he placed his hands on Frodo’s shoulders.

Aragorn stood up.
“If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will.”

He approached Frodo and knelt before him.

“You have my sword.”

Arryn stood up.
“You have my word. As a Wiccan. I will do everything in my power to help you…”
She said. She heard whispers behind her.

“A Wiccan? I thought that they were all wiped out.” Someone said.

“All, but one…”
She said, sourly. She walked beside Frodo, and she stood beside him, with one of her hands on his shoulder.

“And you have my bow…”
Legolas said, as he stood up, and he walked over, and stood beside Arryn.

“And my axe!” Gimli said, Arryn noticed that he looked grimly at Legolas as he joined the group.
Arryn looked up to see Boromir walking over to them.

“You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done.”

Arryn saw Sam jump from behind the bushes and he ran over to join them.

“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 council and you are not.”
Elrond said, amused.

Merry and Pippin emerged from behind a few pillars, and they ran to join them.

“Wait! We are coming too!”

”You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!” Merry said, boldly.

“Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest... thing.” Pippin said.
Arryn smiled

Leaning close to his friend’s ear, Merry said, “Well that rules you out Pip.”

“Ten companions... So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!” Elrond said, overlooking the Fellowship.

Pippin beamed. “Great! Where are we going?”

Arryn stifled a laugh, as the rest of the Fellowship exchanged glances.