"Boromir!" Elrond cried, rising suddenly as the man reached a hand out towards the ring. At the same time, Gandalf began speaking. The words that fell from the wizard's lips were foul and sickening. They ground like rocks and everyone startled. The ground seemed to shake and the very light grew dark s the wizard stood. Legolas closed his eyes at the nausea the language caused and Boromir stumbled back to his chair with wide eyes.

Gandalf stopped and the light returned, the sickness receded and the shaking faded. "Never before has words of that tongue been uttered here in Imladris", Elrond spoke, seeming just as shaken as the rest of them.

"I do not ask of your pardon master Elrond", Gandalf inclined his head as the elf sank into his seat. "For the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the west. The ring is all together evil". The last sentence was punctuated by a look at Boromir of Gondor.

"It is a gift", the man replied. Legolas thought him rather foolish. (He could imagine how Namir would laugh at this meeting. The cat never one for politics unless it was about deals). "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?" Boromir was standing up and announcing again. "Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. Bt the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him".

"You cannot weird it", Aragorn argued. "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?"

Legolas had patience. He had the patience to deal with his father on festival nights when the king was drunk. He had the patience to search tirelessly for twenty years for his lover. He had the patience to wait but this foolish man with misguided hope was testing it. The blonde jumped out of his chair. "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance".

Boromir turned to Aragorn with surprise. "Aragorn. This is Isildur's heir?" There was disbelief in his words.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor", Legolas stated. He was tired of politics. He wanted to go and find Namir.

"Havo dad Legolas", Aragorn muttered.

Boromir's expression was bitter as Legolas returned to his seat. "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king".

"Aragorn is right", Gandalf spoke up as Boromir settled. "The ring answers to Sauron and Sauron alone".

"We have only one choice", Elrond's gaze swept over them. "We must destroy it".

"What are we waiting for?" A ginger dwarf muttered. He was out of his seat and swinging his axe down on the table before anyone else could speak. A flash of pain and a fiery eye flared then the dwarf was on the floor with his axe in shattered pieces around him. The ring unharmed.

"The ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft we here possess", Elrond stated. "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". A moment of silence.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor", Boromir muttered. "It's 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, ash, dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly".

Legolas' patience was already stretched thin by the anxiety of Gandalf's news, Boromir just seemed to be testing it. "Have you heard nothing of what Lord Elrond just said?" He stepped forwards. "The ring must be destroyed".

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it", Gimli snapped. Legolas gritted his teeth as his gaze dropped down to the dwarf.

"And if we fail, what then?" Boromir exclaimed, also stepping forwards. "What happened when Sauron takes back what is his?"

Gimli jumped to his feet. "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf". That insult made the four elves at Legolas' sides rise. The dwarves took this as sign to argue and also took to their feet. The men raising their voices in an effort to also have their say. Legolas raised and arm to stop his kin from physically attacking. (He could practically hear Namir's laughter at the situation). Gandalf rose from his seat, his voice joining with the argument and chaos. The volume rising so much that when Frodo spoke, it was drowned out.

"I will take it", he repeated for the second time. It broke through the noise and everyone fell quiet, eyes turning to the small halfling. "I will take the ring to Mordor. Though, I do not know the way".

Gandalf placed a hand on the Hobbit's shoulder. "I will help you bare this burden Frodo Baggins as long as it is yours to bear".

Aragorn, who had reminded still and quiet through the argument, stood up. "By my life or death, if I can protect you, I will". He stepped forwards to join Frodo's side. "You have my sword".

Legolas watched this with indecision in his gut. The quest to rid the ring from this land was a mighty one, but he had his own quest. Aragorn looked over and met his gaze. He was speaking before he had consciously made a decision. "And you have my bow", then he was stepping forwards to join them as anxiety and guilt warred in his chest.

Gandalf knew what he was thinking and leaned closer to him as he joined their group. "Saruman works with Sauron, defeating one weakens the other. Rest assured Legolas, we will find Namir again". The words were a whisper of hope and reassurance and Legolas let himself relax slightly. Gandalf was right. He would find Namir.

"And my axe", Gimli declared, not wanting to be outdone by and elf. Legolas rolled his eyes. (It wasn't like Kili and Tauriel haven't been married and living in Erebor for sixty years now).

Boromir approached slowly. "You carry the fate of us all Little one. If this is indeed the will of the council then Gondor will se it done".

A shout made Elrond glance round in surprise as another hobbit came bursting into the courtyard. He was stouter than Frodo, with a head on strawberry blonde curls. "Mr Frodo is not going anywhere without me", he stated with a firmness that brokered no arguments.

"No", Elrond said, amusement curling his words. "Indeed. It seems highly impossible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not". The hobbit did look bit chagrined.

"Oi! We're coming too!" Legolas blinked as two more hobbits, one with curls of nut brown and the other a corn blonde, came bursting seemingly from thin air. (He glanced around to see if any more would appear from the woodwork but four seemed to be enough). The two new hobbits scrambled to Frodo's side.

"Anyway", the smaller brown haired one stated. "You need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest, thing".

The blonde hobbit looked at him. "Well that rules you out Pip".

Elrond smiled slightly as he looked their group over. "Nine companions. So be it. You shall be the fellowship of the ring". 

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