'Welcome in Rivendell Alastegiel, princess of the Noldor' His face is neither old nor young, though in it is written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful. Lord Elrond, Lord of the High Elves, welcomes me. I walk into his study. After a good night's rest, I wander through the corridors of Imladris. Seconds ago, a young elleth came to tell me that Lord Elrond expected me. So here I am. He stands next to his desk, his arms folded on his back. He smiles gently at me. 'Thank you, Lord Elrond. But I am no princess. My mother is' I state as he gestures me to sit down in a comfortable looking chair. 'Are you well?' He sits down at his desk. I nod my head. 'Yes. Thank you for your hospitality'

'My kin is always welcome here. Especially what you have been through' I smile at him, but I know it is a sad smile. 'Yes. My ada. He..' I can't say it. I can't say that my father is allied with Sauron.

'You don't have to say it Henig.. I understand. And that is why it is so important that you also visit the council. Frodo is just awaken and Mithrandir is by him. So in an hour, there is a council, with the different races of  Middle Earth. Mithrandir and I talked about it. And there is an object that has to be delivered. And when the time is right, I want you to go..'

'Me? Why?'

'Because of your father. That is why. Because of your father, Sauron wants you now. Because of your heritage. Your uncle fought with Sauron and he thought that your family line was destroyed. So for your safety, you have to go..'

Okay.

'For now, my daughter Arwen shall lead you around. We meet each other at the council' Lord Elrond says and stands up. Gracefully he walks out of his study, leaving me behind. A bit shook, I stand up from my chair and walk towards the balcony. Imladris is beautiful! It lies in a small valley and I can see the mountains from here. 'Mae govannen' A soft voice says. I turn around and see an elleth with long black hair standing in the room. She is holding a blue dress in her hands. 'Alastegiel right?' She smiles.

'Yes, Arwen is it?'

'It is' She smiles again. 'I heard from my Ada who you are and it is an honor'

'Thank you' I smile at her, not knowing how else to react. She holds out the dress. 'Here. This is for you' I take the dress and bow my head in respect for her. 'Thank you'

Do I have to change now?

She disappears again and I dress myself quickly in the study. It is a simple dress, this is what most she-elves wear. I wear a corset, a white slip dress and then the blue dress. I put my boots on and I brush my long golden hair out.

Ready.

I walk out of the study and there she is again. 'It is time for the council' Arwen states and leads me through the corridors towards what looks like a hidden room in the outdoors. Two guards are standing next to it and open the doors for me. 'This is where I leave you Alastegiel' Arwen smiles. 'I see you after!' She says with a sad smile and walks away. A bit bewildered I walk inside. Not knowing what to expect.

Inside the room are standing several stairs and I see only men, dwarves and elves. I am the only female here!

I seek someone familiar and luckily I spot Mithrandir, sitting next to a young-looking hobbit. Mithrandir smiles at me and gestures at the chair next to him. Happily, I sit down next to him as the others sit as well. Lord Elrond who sits in the high chair in the middle of our small circle stands. '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' He looks at the young hobbit. 'Bring forth the Ring, Frodo' The boy steps forward and moves towards a stone plinth. He places a ring on the plinth and returns hastily back to his seat. 'So it is true!' A man shouts shocked. He is dressed in what I know, the clothing of a guard from Gondor. 'Sauron's Ring! The Ring of Power!' A handsome elf says in disbelief. 'The doom of man!' A dwarf with a red beard says grimly. The man from Gondor stands and begins to approach the ring. '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. Isildur's Bane is found" He reaches for the ring, as he is drawn to it. 'Isildur's Bane' He mumbles. 'Boromir!' Elrond shouts at him while he stands. Suddenly Mithrandir stands and begins to speak in the black tongue. Now I hear it, I know I heard it before. Ada did that. I look to the ground, not comfortable with the words Mithrandir speaks. '

'Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris' Elrond states sternly.  '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' Mithrandir answers as he returns to his seat. Boromir shakes his head as he stands again, to makes his case. 'It is a gift! A gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use the 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!'

A rough-looking Ranger stands. 'You cannot wield it. None of us can! The One Rings answers to Sauron alone, it has no other master' He cries. Boromir turns and looks at the ranger. 'And what would a Ranger know of this matter?' The ranger stays still and Boromir turns away. An elf stands up in defense. 'This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance!'

'Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?' Boromir spits out. 'And heir to the throne of Gondor' The blonde elf adds. 'Havo dad, Legolas' Strider says quietly to the blonde elf.

'Gondor has no king' Boromir sneers. Mithrandir turns calmly towards Boromir. 'Aragorn is right, we cannot use it'

'You have only one choice; the Ring must be destroyed' Elrond continues. Suddenly a dwarf with a long red beard stands excited. 'Then what are we waiting for?' He yells excitedly. He rushes forward and swings his ax down on the ring. With a deafening crack, the ax shatters! And the dwarf falls backward. He stares in disbelief at the ring. It doesn't have any scratches. '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' Elrond states sternly. 'It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this' Elrond continues.

A silence follows. None of the men gathered here have the courage to do something about it. I look at them, one by one. But they all sit with downcast eyes.

Men..

'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 addresses the council. 'Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!' Legolas points out. 'And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?' Gimli sneers.

'And what if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?' Boromir spits at the dwarf.  Gimli leaps to his feet! 'I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!' He shouts and now they are all standing. A storm of arguments erupts around the room. their angry faces, the shaking fists, the accusatory fingers.

I look towards the small golden ring that lies on the plinth.  All of this, for a small ring.

'Do you not understand? While we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows! No one will escape it. You will all be destroyed, with your homes burnt and your families put to the sword!' Mithrandir shouts.
This is not good, it is escalating. Suddenly Frodo stands and he speaks in a strong, clear voice. 'I will take it. I will take it, I will take the Ring to Mordor!' They all fall silent. 'Though I do not know the way' Frodo adds quietly. Mithrandir rises to his feet. 'I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear' Aragorn stands also. 'If by my life or death I can protect you, I will' He kneels before Frodo. 'You have my sword.' He steps forward, followed by Legolas and Gimli. 'And you have my bow' Legolas offers. 'And my ax' Gimli states. Boromir also walks towards Frodo. 'You carry the fates of us all, little one' He looks towards Elrond and Mithrandir. 'If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done' Boromir adds.

'Here!' A sudden noise can be heard. Another hobbit pops up from behind a bush. 'Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me' He says insistently.  'No, indeed. It is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not' Elrond says with a small smile. Two other young-looking hobbits jump up from behind another bush. I giggle when I see them. Not knowing what is going on. 'Oi! We're coming too! You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!' One says. 'Any way you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest, thing' The younger looking one says.

'Well, that rules you out, Pip' The first one says irritated. Elrond looks at the nine men, who all volunteered for Frodo..

'Nine companions, so be it' He says thoughtfully. 'You shall be the fellowship of the ring!' He announces. 'Great! Where are we going?' The hobbit is assume is called Pip says.

Again his friends roll with his eyes as Elrond laughs at him. The other men leave as the fellowship stays to talk. I wait on Lord Elrond to say something. He looks at me with a knowing look. Mithrandir clears his throat. 'Fellowship' They all lookup. 'This is Alastegiel and she joins this quest'

'A girl?' Boromir sneers. 'She is very important to join this quest and especially for her own safety' Mithrandir states with concern in his voice. 'Her safety?' Legolas asks. 'Yes. Because she knows a little about her father's plans. And now Sauron wants her. To taunt her father'

'With all respect Mithrandir.. I do not think my Ada cares for me anymore. Why did he throw me into the dungeon as he cares for me?' I laugh a little. The others look at me with sadness. 'Miss. Who is your father?' Frodo asks shyly. 'Saruman the White. He is or was one of the Istari. But he chooses another path'

'Saruman' Legolas whispers. 'But how, I didn't know that he even had a daughter!' The elf states. 'My mother was Finduilas'

'The sister of Gil-Galad' Legolas says in awe and also Aragorn looks in shock. 'But she is dead! Killed by orcs' Legolas continues. 'That is the story yes. But she was rescued by Saruman. And kept imprisoned by him. And by force she had me. Saruman wanted a son. But instead, she gave him a daughter' I whisper the last part. Knowing how unwanted I was.

'If the fellowship wants it, I want to join to deliver the One Ring in Mordor. And help Frodo in his quest' Frodo walks towards me with a smile. 'Of course' He looks to the others. 'We are a fellowship now and we keep each other save'

'Hannon Le'

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