~ ~ ~ Hey Amy,

      I can't really say anything right now, seeing as how Elrond's Council will start in a matter of moments. Hopefully, at the break, I can fill you in on what they are discussing... not to mention the situation with Legolas.

      Laters! ~ ~ ~

      "It was the same news he told me prior to this moment." Legolas said, walking through one of Rivendell's hallways.

      Ashley accompanied, her questions over his trip to Mirkwood bothering him not at all.

      "Then, it is to tell Lord Elrond that Gollum's escaped. Right?"

      The prince nodded.

      "I thought so. I have always been curious however... What else did he say to you?" She was managing to keep up with his stride, which was difficult seeing as how she was a little more than half a foot shorter than he.
      Legolas contemplated the question a moment, "Not much actually. He wanted me to take part in Lord Elrond's council, which I indeed am, and to deliver the message. That was all."
      "How very anticlimactic." The woman whispered.
      This brought a smile from the Elf, "You expected more?"
      "Well... yeah. I did. I used to write fanfictions and, as writers for..." she struggled to grasp the right word.
      "World? Quest?"
      "Quest, right! As writers for this quest, we often wondered what your father was like."
      Legolas looked at her strangely for a moment. "What do you mean?"
      With a shrug, she plunged ahead. "Well, a lot of writers tend to think that King Thranduil is a cruel father who cares little for his son."
      "That is!...."
      Ashley held up her hand, "Let me finish. As I said, a lot of writers think that. There are even a couple out there who... well... we won't go into their perverted minds but they have wrong intentions for Thranduil. Then, there are the writers who view him as a mere stand in character, oh, Elf... sorry. I keep forgetting where I am."
      Legolas smiled, "That is quite alright."
      "Any way, they don't see him as important. Then there are people like me. I hope I get it right because I would hate for you to be angry with me about this as well."
      "But I am not angry with you."
      Ashley stopped in mid step. "You're not?"
      "Of course not." The prince answered, turning around. "I admit that I was angered when you decided to come to Arda, but that was all."
      "But I thought you left because you were mad."
      Legolas laughed, "Nay! I left because I was summoned and my quick exit was all due to the fact that I had to return quickly for the council. I was frustrated with you the evening before, yet I think that, after I had time to sort everything out, it may not be such a bad thing that you DID come along."
      "Really?"
      He nodded. "Now, continue with what you were saying. Then, we may truly see if I am angry with you or not." The prince said this with a glint of mischievousness in his eyes.
      "Right... ummm... Where was I again?"
      "Telling me your interpretation of my father."
      Ashley nodded, "Right. In my opinion, Thranduil is much like Lord Elrond. He is wise, though perhaps not as much so in the ways of medicine and healing, yet wise on his own part. Since he does not rule with one of the three rings however, he has to be a little more suspicious of outsiders. So, I see him as being a great king and yet, sometimes blinded by his own stubbornness and what he may think is right." The woman looked at her companion. "Does that do him justice?"

      For a moment, Legolas said nothing and Ashley feared she had indeed angered the prince. Suddenly however, he burst into hardly controllable laughter and nearly doubled over in the process.

      "An exact reading of my father." The prince choked out between laughs. "It is as if you have studied the minds of Elves far too much! A perfect prediction!"

      Ashley was not about to tell him that she had indeed studied up on Elves. After all, they had been her favorite race in the books and movies. But a smile spread across her face as she watched Legolas regain his self control.

      "I'm glad I got it right. Perhaps now others I know won't say I'm portraying him wrong in my works."
      Legolas shook his head, "No. No. Not at all. It was perfect."

      Leaves blew through the air as a gust of wind passed. Rivendell was in it's autumn, as Ashley had said earlier. Now, as emissaries from all over Middle-Earth gathered for a meeting that would shape their lives, the woman became suddenly nervous.

      Talking casually with the inhabitants of Arda was one thing but speaking to them of the horrors to come was entirely different. She knew not if she had the courage to address such a large assembly.

      However, remembering her days in speech class during high school, she put her lessons into practice.

      She sat between Legolas and another Elf from Mirkwood. Thankfully, a few Men seperated the Elves and the Dwarves. More Mirkwood inhabitants sat on the prince's other side and, beyond them, were seated Gandalf and Frodo. To the woman's left was the Men she had spoken of earlier and then Gimli and his Dwarven brethren. Lastly, Men of Gondor, including Boromir, were seated and beyond them were Elves of Rivendell and lastly, Aragorn. Before the entire assembly sat Lord Elrond.

      They were waiting for the council to begin and, as they sat, speaking quietly with one another, Ashley wondered where exactly Sam, Merry, and Pippin were hiding.

      "You look nervous." came a voice from her right.

      Looking over, she spied Legolas who was trying not to laugh at her predicament.

      "I haven't spoken to a group this big for a few years now. Of course I am nervous. That, and I am at THE Council of Elrond, the one and only!" she spoke in a hushed tone. "Wouldn't you be nervous if you were thrust into a world that only your dreams could comprehend and then expected to speak to beings whom you had considered like heros to you?"
      Legolas nodded, "I suppose I would. Though, I speak rarely to large audiences, I have had to do so on occasion in Mirkwood."
      "That makes sense." Ashley smiled, "You are a prince after all."

      "Strangers from distant land, 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." Lord Elrond spoke, addressing the council at the beginning of such an infamous meeting. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

      As he said this, the small Hobbit gingerly stepped forward. He placed the Ring upon a pedestal slightly before Elrond's chair. All eyes turned to it immediately.

      "So it is true..."

      Ashley turned her head to see Boromir, his mind working on plans for the Ring's use already.

      The man stood, addressing the council in his own fashion. "In a dream... I saw the eastern sky grow dark... but in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying." Boromir walked closer and closer to the pedestal and Ashley wanted to warn everyone of his current intentions. And yet, something caused her to hold her tongue. "'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found.'" Reaching out for the Ring, Boromir repeated himself. "Isildur's Bane."
      "Boromir!" Elrond said, standing to his feet.

      Suddenly however, a harsh language filled the air and the sky blackened with each word.

      "Ash nazg durbatuluk, Ash nazg gimbatul, Ash nazg thrakatuluk, Agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!"

      The ground shook with immense force, causing the Dwarves to reach for their axes. Lord Elrond put a hand to his head, falling back into his chair. Ashley looked over to Legolas, a pained expression etched deeply onto his features.

      Gandalf had spoken the words of the Black Speech of Mordor, the woman knew it. Turning to face the wizard once more, Ashley put a pleading look upon her face, begging the Istari to stop.

      And as suddenly as it began, the darkness faded and Rivendell returned to it's peaceful autumn.

      "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris." The Elf Lord stated, glaring in the direction of Gandalf.
      The wizard however, knew of his mistake but believed it to be well worth it. "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."

      Ashley sighed slightly, knowing what was soon to come as the Istari retook his seat.

      "It is a gift... A gift to the foes of Mordor." Boromir, son of Denethor, stood from his seat, addressing the council once more. "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, all your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"
      "You cannot wield it. None of us can." A voice whom had yet to speak before the assembly stated, remaining in his seat. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
      Boromir looked to Strider, disgusted with the thought that such a man would dare speak up to him. "And what would a Ranger know of this matter?"

      A cloak lightly brushed against Ashley's shoulder and she turned in time to watch as Legolas sprang to his feet, glaring dangerously at Boromir.

      "This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
      "Aragorn?..." The man from Gondor turned, regarding Strider with a new found awe. "This is Isildur's heir?"
      "And heir to the throne of Gondor."

      Legolas had said too much, both Ashley and Aragorn knew this.

      "Havo dad, Legolas." The man addressed his friend, knowing full well that Legolas' spirit over the issue would only calm if Strider himself bid him to sit.
      Ashley looked back over at Boromir who sneered in the other man's direction. "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king."

      With this settled, Elrond noticed that the hour was growing late and he quickly adjourned the meeting. They would reconvene after lunch.