Agardess refused the offered chair as politely as possible. Legolas hadn't minded, knowing she prefered the shadows more anyway. She would stay behind the gathered elves, watching, listening, but under strict orders not to draw a weapon or defend Legolas. She had accepted, her oath not allowing her to deny direct orders from Legolas himself. Although she was sure she played her part better than he wished her to. He spoke to her as a friend. She spoke to him as a superior and although Legolas was uncomfortable with it, he knew he couldn't change her. He put up with it and that was what mattered to Agardess.

She wasn't paying attention to anything at the moment. The meeting had yet to start and Legolas had taken his seat, signaling that she was to take her place in the back. She received some uneasy looks, but it didn't bother her. She wasn't here to make friends.

"...You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom," Lord Elrond was saying and Agardess realized that she was supposed to be paying attention. "Bring forth the ring Frodo." A tiny man, a Hobbit, scurried forward, placing a ring in the center of a table. Agardess was lost to her thoughts before the Hobbit even reached his seat.

"... doom was near at hand." That did sound important and Agardess found herself wishing she had been paying attention to the first part. She tore her eyes from her surrounding and turned her attention to the speaker. "Isildur's bane is found..." He inched closer and closer to table that held a tiny ring, reaching for it. Elrond stood from his chair with a shout while Gandalf began speaking.

The sky grew dark, thunder rumbled, uneasy looks were thrown, one was Legolas' and it was aimed at her. Legolas soon closed his eyes as if trying to block the sound from his ears. Agardess would of ran to him if it hadn't affected her. But it did, the speech almost brought her to her knees. Gandalf stood from his chair still speaking the foul words.

"Never before has any voice utter the words of that tongue here in Imladris," Elrond stated sitting down shakily once it stopped. Gandalf walked forward and Legolas shot Agardess a look, his eyes now open.

"I do not ask you pardon, Master Elrond. For the Black Speech of Mordor is heard in every corner of the West. The Ring is altogether evil." He shot a glare at everyone before returning to his seat.

"It is a gift," A man said, Boromir his name. "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." He was standing now, pacing in front of the council. He was passionate and Agardess would of listened to him if not his point be utterly stupid. "By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe," He was still going, pacing and waving his finger at some of the council. Agardess wished she could silence him, but she stayed where she was, watching him with cold eyes. "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy! Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it," A man said causing Boromir to turn. "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 turned to the Ranger, his eyes cold and hard.

"This is no mere Ranger," Legolas said, standing from his seat and approaching Boromir so the man was now facing the elf. Agardess's hand went to her weapon, she tightened her grip on them as she glared at Boromir reading to jump in there and silence the fool. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Legolas' voice was soft, but still held power and for that Agardess admired him. "You owe him your allegiance." Boromir turned to Aragorn.

"Aragorn," He said, breathless. Aragorn had no expression, just met Boromir's eyes. "This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Agardess' eyes snapped back to Legolas as he spoke. He flicked his eyes over to her for a moment before turning back to hold the gaze of the man before him.

"Hama sinome, Legolas. (Have a seat, Legolas)(and i know that isn't exactly right, but I wanted to use what my translation provided and all i have is have a seat and not sit down, sorry)" Legolas remained standing for a moment before he turned his back on Boromir and sat down.

"Gondor has no king," Boromir sneered at Legolas before turning back to Aragorn. "Gondor needs no king," He stated as he walked back to his seat. He sat and the council was silent for a moment.

"Aragorn is right," Gandalf spoke up, the moment vanishing and Agardess struggled to pull her eyes away from Legolas to watch Gandalf. "We cannot use it."

"You have only one choice," Elrond said and Agardess' gaze swung to him. "The Ring must be destroyed."

"Then what are we waiting for?" A dwarf asked standing from his seat. Agardess was fond of dwarves, ever since her visit to the dungeons, Legolas however did not seem to share her views. The dwarf grabbed his axe and swung it at the Ring. When the axe made contact with the Ring however, it shattered into pieces causing Agardess to flinch.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, 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, one of you must do this." The council was silent.  Agardess tried to make eye contact with Legolas, silently begging him not to take it, he however did not look at her and she gave up, turning her attention to Boromir once he began to speak.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor. It's Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep." Agardess turned her gaze back to Legolas, trying to read his face, but he was expressionless. "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." Boromir was shaking his head. "It is folly." Legolas launched himself from his chair and Agardess instantly straightened. He had her full attention.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said? The Ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!" Legolas turned his gaze to Gimli before flashing it to Agardess, silently telling her to stand down.

"And if we fail? What then?" Boromir asked getting up from his seat. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Gimli pushed himself up from his seat.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Legolas' company stood from their seats and Agardess was no longer leaning against the pole, ready to charge in at any moment. "Never trust an Elf!" And the council exploded, everyone was yelling and it was only Legolas' look that kept Agardess from charging in there and killing the dwarf and every single member of his company.

"I will take it!" The Hobbit, Frodo said, but his voice was drowned out by the other members arguing. He stepped forward. "I will take it!" Agardess could not stand it any longer.

"Hey!" She yelled her voice rising above the arguing, everyone turned to look at the elf. "The Hobbit is speaking," She said her voice quiet. Soon their attention was no longer on her, but now on Frodo.

"I will take the Ring to Mordor," He said confidence dripping from his voice. "Though," He said quieter, the confidence only taking him so far. "I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins." Gandalf walked towards him and patted his shoulder gently in a reassuring type of way. "As long as it is yours to bear."

"By my life, or death," Aragorn said pushing himself up from his chair and approaching the Hobbit. "I can protect you, I will. You have my sword." He kneeled in front of Frodo before standing up again and taking his place beside Gandalf.

"And you have my bow." Legolas said, walking towards the Hobbit, a smile on his face. Agardess pushed her way through the crowd that had formed, walking after Legolas towards the Hobbit.

"You have all that I can offer," She said kneeling before the Hobbit. "Because I was sworn to protect an Elf, and that Elf has sworn to protect you. For the time he is in your service, I am in yours." She pushed herself up and stood next to Legolas, trying as hard as she could not to glare at him.

"And you have my axe," Gimli said, his face showing just how proud he was of the Hobbit. He walked forward and stood next to Agardess, who stiffened slightly, but Legolas tapped her fingers with his own and she made an effort to relax.

"You carry the fates of us all little one," Boromir said stepping forward and making his way towards our grouping. "If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

"Hey!" Another Hobbit ran on to the stoned platform, standing next to Frodo and taking his hand. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me."

"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you two, even though one of you was invited to a secret council and the other was not." Elrond said and the Hobbit looked down, blushing.

"Wait! We're coming too!" A voice called and two more Hobbit ran forward to stand next to Frodo. Elrond was clearly not happy, but he let them pass without saying anything. "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!"

"Besides, you need people of intelligence in this sort of mission... quest..." The third Hobbit looked at him in horror.  "Thing."

"Well that rules you out, Pip." The third Hobbit said.

"Ten companions," Lord Elrond said staring at us, eyes misty. "So be it." His eyes cleared and he was staring at us more intently now. "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Right." Said "Pip". "Where are we going?" The third Hobbit gave him another look of horror while most of the Fellowship laughed and shook their heads.

~*~

Legolas and Agardess left shortly after the council ended. Legolas stopped in front of her before sighing and continuing walking.

"I almost wish you had never taken the pledge." He grumbled to himself.

"It was your idea my Lord," Agardess said quietly, head bowed.

"It was the only way." He sighed. Agardess meet his eyes.

"The only way to what?" She asked, her eyes angry, but Legolas didn't flinch. He was used to it, she seemed to always be angry.

"Save your life."

"You tried?" Her voice was hard and her hands were nearly shaking with fury. "What would you have done if I refused?" Legolas sighed.

"Agardess... I am in no mood to have this conversation with you. Yes, I realize you did not know that I was trying to save your life. However I ended up doing so when you agreed to my plan."

"I did not realize there was a plan. And here, after all this time, I thought it was simply something you had thought of and offered me, and I, saved myself." She turned away from him, her cloak whipping around, nearly hitting him in the legs. She stalked off and he made no move to follow, she would find him when she had cooled down.

~*~

Legolas opened the door to his bedroom after one knock. Agardess stood before him, her face filled with guilt. She wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you for saving my life." Legolas rubbed her back.

"I hate when we fight." He pulled away from her. "Let us try and not continue." Agardess stepped back and out of the room.

"Agreed," She said simply, deciding against 'My Lord', he was the one who didn't want to be called that. For the first time in a while, they went through a whole conversation without formalities.

"Quel du, mellon (Goodnight, friend)."

"Quel du, Quel kaima(Goodnight, rest well)." Agardess walked away from him, hearing the swift sound of the door closing. She headed back to her own room, just down the hall from his and searched through her own stuff, packing for the adventure that was ahead of them.

She cleaned her weapons before resting her head on the pillow of her bed. Her dreams were of Mirkwood, for she knew she may never see it again.