LotR - Rise to War {LegoRomance}

XVI: The Council of Elrond

「The Lord of the Rings」

「The Fellowship of the Rings」

「BOOK I」

Imladris, 3018 TA, October 25

The following morning, Xena awoke early and with a renewed sense of energy. She took her sword and pushed it behind her back, where it was stored in its leather case and exited the room in search of the council. A single clear bell rang out all of a sudden informing everyone that the council was about to begin. The vast halls of Imladris were crowded with members of all Middle Earth's free peoples waiting for Lord Elrond and Gandalf to arrive.

Xena reclined against a stone wall, arms crossed over her chest and regarded the amazing gathering. She barely recognised a few members who she knew almost in person. Elrond came later, and many others sat silently waiting. Elrond brought Frodo to a seat at his side, and Xena noticed. She would observe the elves, the humans and the dwarves waiting for the Council to begin.

"Strangers from distant lands..." came Elrond's voice and the Council started with the Lord of Imladris speaking "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..."

Not all that was spoken and debated in the Council needed now to be told. Much was said of events in the world outside, especially in the South, and in the wide lands east of the Mountains. A dwarf who was sitting next to Gimli was the one speaking now. Xena had previously heard several tales about these things, but the account of Glóin was fresh to her, and she listened intently while the dwarf spoke. It seemed as if the Lonely Mountain's Dwarves' hearts were worried.

"It is now many years ago," said Glóin, "that a shadow of disquiet fell upon our people. Whence it came we did not at first perceive. Words began to be whispered in secret: they declared that now, at last, they had the power and numbers to return. And Sauron asked a small token, to find the little ring, the least of rings... 'Find it,' he said 'and three rings that the Dwarf sires possessed of old shall be returned to you.' I said neither yea nor nay. I had to consider this message and what it meant under its fair cloak. And we decided to come with it to Rivendell and warn the people of Middle Earth."

"You have done well to come," said Elrond. "You will hear today all that you need in order to understand the purposes of the Enemy. There is nought that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it. But you do not stand alone."

"That is the doom that we must deem. That is the purpose for which you are called..." added Elrond and he had now won the attention of everyone. Then all listened while Elrond in his clear voice spoke of Sauron and the Rings of Power, and their forging in the Second Age of the world long ago. A part of his tale was known to some there, even Xena had read part of the story in that children's book.

"So that is what became of the Ring!" a stranger called Boromir interrupted Elrond's tale "I have heard of the Great Ring, but we believed that it perished from the world in the ruin of his first realm. Isildur took it!"

"Alas! yes," said Elrond. "Isildur took it, as should not have been. It should have been cast then into Orodruin's fire nigh at hand where it was made."

"Bring out the Ring, Frodo!" said Gandalf solemnly.

There was a stillness, and everyone's gaze was drawn to Frodo. He was jolted by a sudden sense of humiliation and terror, and he felt a strong reluctance to disclose the Ring as well as a dislike for its touch.