After the pleasantly spent morning, he left the stables to meet with Gandalf with a few small braids in his own, shoulder length hair. He knew that there were some braids that had different meanings than others and Ayla happily explained the meaning of each to him. Now he was proudly walking through Rivendell with 'poet' and 'friend'.
"I see you've made some new friends." Was the first thing Gandalf said to him. Gilan only smiled fondly. "Gilan, I would like you to meet Frodo Baggins. One of the four hobbits that arrived a few hours before us, and also the one that has been injured."
"It is very nice to meet you, Master Baggins. I hope you are feeling better." Said Gilan while making an elven greeting gesture. He wasn't sure which formal greeting to use, so he shot in the dark, but from the sound of shuffling of the hobbit's shirt, he guessed he returned it.
"I-I am. Thank you, Gilan. It is nice to meet you as well."
"Now, it is time for the Council. Follow me."
***
"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." Lord Elrond addressed them all. Gilan sat on the left of Gandalf, quietly listening. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." The small hobbit on the other side of the wizard stood up hesitantly, walked to the center of their circle and placed the Ring on a small pillar tablet. Gilan frowned as he felt something in the air shift. It felt like the tiny piece of gold was the center of the universe. And it was whispering.
"So it is true..." Someone whispered and then abruptly stood up. "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.'" Gilan heard the man inch closer to the Ring. "Isildur's Bane..."
"Boromir!" The wizard next to him stood up and shouted. "Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul." Gandalf recited in Black Speech and a shiver ran across Gilan's back. Boromir stumbled back.
"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris." Sighed Elrond.
"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."
"It is a gift... 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... by the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy... let us use it against him!" Boromir started again, trying to make a point.
"The ring whispers empty promises to those with a troubled souls and lays heavy on the heart." Said Gilan and eyes of all shifted to him.
"You cannot wield it. None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone... it has no other master." Another man spoke.
"And what would a Ranger and a Blind Bard know of this matter?" Spat out Boromir. One of the elves stood up as Gilan let out a quiet chuckle.
"This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Asked Boromir in disbelief.
"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Added the elf and Gilan's eyebrows jumped in surprise.
"Sit down, Legolas..." Aragorn sighed in a tone which told Gilan that the ranger was not happy with the revelation.
"Gondor has no king." Gilan heard Boromir stubbornly mutter.
"Aragorn and Gilan are right... we cannot use it." Said Gandalf with a tone of finality.
"You have only one choice... the Ring must be destroyed."
"Then what are we waiting for?" A gruff voice, dwarf, said, standing up. He rushed to the Ring and before Gilan understood what was happening there was something flying his way. He tilted his body to the right and there, where previously was his head, was a piece of dwarven battle axe stuck in the chair. Everyone was staring at him in both, horror and awe, as he elegantly stood up and sat onto the floor in front of his chair.
"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. It must be taken deep into Mordor, and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." It was no surprise that no one was jumping up at the opportunity.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor." Boromir sighed, making some weird gesture with his hand. "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."
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed." The elf, Legolas, said.
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli shouted angrily.
"And what if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf! Never trust an Elf!" The dwarves and elves started arguing while Gilan just admired the stupid bravery Gimli had to say something like that in Imladris.
"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!" Gandalf tried to dissolve the tension, but his words just seemed to add fumes to the fire.
"I will take it... I will take it..." Gilan suddenly heard a whisper to his right. Frodo's voice was, however, drowned in the arguing. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." Now he was heard. The bickering slowly died down and everyone was paying attention. "Though I do not know the way."
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf stood up, standing by Frodo's side.
"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword." Aragorn joined too, closely followed by Legolas.
"And you have my bow."
"And my axe." Gimli proclaimed.
"You carry the fates of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done." Nodded Boromir and joined them as well. Gilan began thinking. Was this the reason Gandalf allowed him to be here? He felt as a pair of wise, gray eyes shifted at him.
"Here! Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me." The hobbit that was hiding in the bushes had finally decided to reveal himself. Gilan wondered if the other two would follow suit.
"No, indeed... it is hardly possible to separate you... even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not."
"Oi! We're coming too! You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."
"Anyway... you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission... quest... thing..."
"Well, that rules you out, Pip." The two others bickered and the wizard's stare only deepened. Gilan rose to his feet.
"I cannot give you superior skill in battle," He heard Gandalf snort in amusement at his, for him, see through lie. "nor magical abilities to aid you in your quest. What I am offering you are my senses. I may have one less, but the rest are amplified above anyone else's, thanks to my half-elven blood. If you'll have me, I can be your ears."
"Ten companions ... so be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." Announced Lord Elrond.
"Great. Where are we going?"
YOU ARE READING
Out of Sight, Out of Mind//Legolas
FanfictionOnce Gandalf offers him a seat among the Council of Imladris, Gilan joins the fellowship on its way to destroy the One Ring. He is, however, met with some prejudices, for he is just a bard. And blind, but that would have nothing to do with it, right...
