*。☆。
★。＼｜／。★
˚ ₊ ♡ ❰ BALLAD OF BROKEN SWORDS ❱
*✧ ─── ❝ ❪ TIES THAT BIND ❫ ❞
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˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ACT TWO  ── audentes fortuna iuvat 🏹 ⁺⑅

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CHILDREN OF ARDA DUOLOGY  ⋆ ☄.
♯ ❝ ELEVEN COMPANIONS, SO BE IT ❞
CHAPTER FIFTEEN ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
˚ ₊ ♡ the third age ─── year 3018
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━━ ˚ ₊ ♡ 🏹
❝ 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭
𝘣𝘦 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙚𝙨. 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮'𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 ❞

*✧ ─── THE SUN IS OUT, HIGH IN A CLOUDLESS SKY IT SHINES AS IT WARMS GYDA'S COLD SKIN. DAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE THEIR ARRIVAL AT RIVENDELL and Gyda has spent is doing what she does best ─ training. she excused herself from her rigorous regime by stating now more than ever did they need to prepare themselves with the return of the One Ring, but if she was honest with herself, Gyda knew she did it to avoid being in the dining hall, or the corridors where the Mirkwood delegation slept...or really anywhere she might stumble upon Legolas without a way to get out of a conversation.

She was civil when need be, of course. She could not disregard the authority he held, and most importantly, she could not disappoint her country, her queen Elgarain with her behavior. Especially because she had always preached decorum to Elgarain. And after their heartfelt conversation, Gyda really didn't want to stir up any bad blood between Lindon and Mirkwood all for the sake of her idle pride.

Focus is all she needs to put her emotions away. For once she is in battle, she is nowhere else. Thoughts are calm and her mind is sharp. Exactly how she likes it.

"Do you ever sleep?"

Galion's voice rings out behind her, startling her as she whirls around, glaive pointed outwards, the sharp tip at the blonde's neck. But he seems unbothered by the action as he casually moves the spear sideways, sending her a pitiful smile.

She grimaces, the sight is one she's been familiarized with the last couple of days. "I don't need your pity Galion." She grunts out, retracting her arm and bringing her glaive closer to her.

Galion sighs, "look─ "

"Let's not talk about it alright." Gyda intercepts him quickly, throwing another practice spear at her friend. He catches it without much thought but he doesn't take a defensive stance unlike Gyda who stands ready to strike.

"You cannot always fight your way through everything, Mellon Nin." He breathes out, ducking his head sideways as Gyda's glaive juts forward, nicking his cheek.

She huffs, twirling around his body to strike at his back but he moves away again before she can hit her target, agitation bubbling in her gut as they dance around one another. "I'm not fighting through anything, Gallion."

"You are, and you know it." He steps backward, the tip of Gyda's glaive pointing between his eyes. "you're just scared to admit it."

Her posture slackens slightly, but her eyes flash dangerously. "You know nothing Gallion."

"You know destiny has intertwined our paths with the resurfacing of the One Ring, Gyda. You cannot avoid the Prince of Mirkwood forever. Lives may depend on it."

She clenches her jaw, head held high, "I will do my duty Galion, as I always have."

"And that's the problem." Galion sighs, "You always place others before you. What about what you need? want?"

Gyda chews on her bottom lip, "I don't know what I want." is the only reply she can give, but it is an honest one. for she cannot fathom to think about the future with the darkness that loomed on the horizon. Whatever would come of the council later today would be pivotal for the future of Middle Earth, of the path they all must take to safeguard their people.  No longer were the rumors mere whispers passing between shadows. Now the darkness she had once faced on the plains of Mordor, the one battle that haunted her, resurfaced

The spreading, growing evil that festered in Mordor was visible for all to see, like a taunt it followed the people of Middle Earth who had hoped Sauron had been conquered. But Gyda could not help the ache in her heart at the thought of her father dying, sacrificing himself for her, for his country, to make sure light would rule, only to know it had been all in vain. A facade of peace had reigned but all the while evil grew stronger without them knowing.

"We must prepare for the meeting." She states after a beat of silence, sheathing her sword in a scabbard—a definite stop to the conversation.

Galion sighs in defeat but he does not comment on her avoidance, together they march of to their rooms.

The walk towards her room happens in a blur and before she knows it, she stands in her room, facing the large mirror. Hazel eyes stare back at her before she lets her eyes fall on the cloth on the small cabinet. The green fabric is soft and as she unties the cord, the royal pin indicating her status as head of the Queen's Guard is revealed—but it is not the one she wears now, for it is the one her father had always worn. It glints in the sunlight and with careful hands she unfastens the one attached to her tunic and replaces it with the one of her father. It's close to her heart, and warmth fills as fond memories replay in her mind.

A knock makes them vanish once more and she can hear Galion call out for her behind the oak door. Letting her finger drift over the silver pin one more time, Gyda pivots around and swings the door open to reveal Galion waiting for her. He smiles at her, eyeing the broach on her chest and familiarity sparks in his eyes.

She grins back at him before they make their way to the courtyard together. It is not long after that Elgarain appears, dressed elegantly but as her eyes wander upwards, Gyda has to hold herself back at the lack of crown adorning her High-Queen's head.

"Quite the gathering of fancy titles," Galion says when Elgarain reaches them.

"The fate of Arda does depend on this moment," Gyda whispers, eyes going around the room as if she was searching for someone, or more specifically; searching for someone so she knew exactly how to avoid him.

"That it does," Elgarain sighs nervously, "I do wonder why the other wizards aren't here. They, more than anyone, could provide advice considering this matter."

"A just question," a soft voice comes from behind them. As if he'd heard Elgarain's words, Gandalf had appeared behind them, a warm smile on his face though the usual sparks in his blue eyes were missing.

"Mithrandir," Elgarain greets him with an equally warm smile.

"It is good to see you, Tarinya," the Wizard replies with a bow of his head. "I've heard Lindon is blooming under your rule."

Gyda's heart swells with pride at the sight of El's gleeful smile, but Elgarain shakes her head almost shyly at the compliment. "The rumors are true, Wizards truly do possess silver tongues."

He laughs at that and for a moment his eyes seemed to spark once again. "Sadly that is not a virtuous trait in all of us. Which is the reason Saruman will not be attending."

Elgarain, waits for him to explain but his eyes went to Gyda instead, as if he was waiting for her to put the pieces together.

"He betrayed us," Gyda utters in realisation at the sight of Gandalf' solemn eyes, and her own harden.

Gandalf sighs deeply but nodded. "I'm afraid he did. Saruman has allied himself with Sauron. I barely escaped my last encounter with him alive. Our list of allies grows thin."

Elgarain shares a worried look with Gyda and Galion. It was truly bad news that such a powerful ally had betrayed them in favor of serving the Dark Lord. The world was ever growing darker it would seem...

A silence falls over the courtayd as Lord Elrond enteres smiling at his guests as he gestures for them to take a seat. Gyda awaits Elgarain movement as her eyes wandering around the seatings in contemplation. Gratitude's fills her as Elgarain moves further away from the Mirkwood delegation and instead finds herself appraoching the man hailing from Gondor.

The man greetes them all with a nod before focusing on the High-Queen with a warm smile, one that made his blue eyes shine. "I do not believe we have met, my Lady," he begins, sounding genuinely curious.

"No, I don't believe we have," she replied. "I'm Elgarain of Lindon."

He bowes his head. "Boromir, of Gondor."

Elgarain takes a seat and Gyda quickly follows her movement, picking a chair to the righ of her and Galion flanks her other side just as Elrond begin.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you've 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. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." Lord Elrond greets them the moment they are all seated.

All eyes in the room turned to the small Hobbit, seated beside Gandalf at the far end of the circle. He seems small and frightened as his eyes dart around the gathered groups. After a quick encouragement from Gandalf, the blue eyed Hobbit gets to his feet, reaching into his pocket as he approaches a raised pillar in the middle of the circle. Slowly he places a small, golden band on it.

Immediately the air in the room seems to change. A pressure that had not been there now weighing down heavily on those in close proximity. Gyda eyes are fixated on the trinket, like a moth drawn to a flame she can feel the alure it exudes. It weighs heavy on her heart. She clenches her fists, eyes momentarily drifting to Elgarain who looks almost sickly at the sight of the ring.

"So it is true," Gyda hears the man from Gondor—Boromir if she recalled it correctly, mutter.

He gets to his feet, talking slowly, as if not fully aware of his own actions. "In a dream I saw the eastern sky grow dark but in the West a pale light lingered." Her creeps closer to the pillar. "A voice was crying: Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found." He lifts his hand, fingers itching to pick up the ring. "Isildur's Bane."

Worries corrupts Gyda, she had seen the darkness the Ring had sprouted as Isildur laid claim on the Ring of Power, she halfway up, a worried frown on her face for the man in front of her. But she does not get far as a sudden rumbling tore through the room, shaking her to the bones. She winces eyes searching for the source of the awful awful noise.

Startled, Gyda turns to look at Gandalf as she locates the sound, as he speaks the dark and twisted language—one she had wished to forget. A terrifying darkness starts to linger around them, like a thunderous cloud. The earth seems to be shaking and even the sky grew dark as nature itself seemed to be poisoned with the filth of the language.

Only when Gandalf was finally finished speaking did the darkness fade, though it echoed through the sky for a while, like thunder rumbling in the distance. Everyone was shaken, including Boromir, who was seated once again.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris," Lord Elrond speaks.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," Gandalf replies, his voice still thundering through the small glade. "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," Boromir denies as the shock of the Black Speech fades away. "A gift to the foes of Mordor." He gets to his feet again, pacing the room as he preached his cause. "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."

Worry clouds Gyda's mind, a familiar feeling of kinship awakens in her at his words, the pride of his city carries true in his need to protect it from evil—the desperation to keep his people safe. She had felt that familiar feeling plenty of times in her life. And she cannot fault him for his reasoning.

"You cannot wield it. None of us can." It is the ranger who speaks calmly, and Gyda turns to look at him.  "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master,"

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir questions.

A new voice speaks up and Gyda's heart aches at the familiar sound. she dares not look up at Legolas as he stands in defense of the dúnedain. "This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Despite the words spoken out of friendship, Aragorn did not seem all that pleased with his words.

"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir breaths out doubtfully.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas added, chin tilting upwards.

"Havo dad, Legolas," Aragorn holds his hand out to the blonde elf.

"Gondor has no king, Gondor needs no king," Boromir says bitterly, as he took a seat again.

A tense silence lingers in the room until Gandalf speaks up again. "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."

Lord Elrond got to his feet once again. "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."

As if the Ring had heard the plotting of its demise, a low whisper seems to fill the air, warning them against taking such drastic measures.

"Then what are we waiting for?" One of the dwarves grunts as he took his axe. He jumps to his feet and swung the weapon down, against the Ring. But instead of the Ring shattering, it was the ax that broke. The blade shatters into a thousand pieces as if it was made out of glass.

Gyda reacts faster than most, shielding Elgarain with her arm as the pieces of the axe were launched into the air. Her eyes flicker to Elgarain's surprised eyes, and she nods before retracting her arm again.

The dwarf had been thrown on his back, staring at the Ring with wide eyes. There wasn't even so much a scratch on it. On the contrary, the gold seemed to glow even brighter, as if the Ring was trying to mock them, showing them all that it couldn't be destroyed that simply.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess," Elrond elaborates, sounding somewhat amused. But as he continues the small smile quickly disappeares from his features. "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."

Her heart speeds up at the thought. The answer would lead them to Mordor, the scene of her most haunting dreams and memories. She swallows face stoic as she turns to look briefly at Elrond before turning to face Elgarain.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir states, "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 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly."

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas argues, standing up. "The ring must be destroyed."

"And I suppose you think you are the one to do it!" Gimli joins in, disgruntled by the mere idea of an elf barring the weight.

"And if we fail, what then?" Boromir says, standing up as well. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

Fear courses through her at the mere suggestions.

Gimli jumps up as well, "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!" He shouts. "Never trust an elf!"

At this comment, the entire room erupted into chaos. The elves stood up as well, shouting at the dwarves while they shouted their own insults back. All while Legolas continued glaring daggers at Boromir. Even Gandalf joins in, berating them all for being fools.

Gyda is surprised by the calmness that Elgarain exudes, knowing the queen could easily be drawn to impulsive words when it came to the harsh words against her people—but it seemed she had spoken too soon as Elgarain pushes herself up, pointing a slender finger at the dwarf.

"You dare turn away help from our people and insult us to our faces! We have to work together to defeat this evil. The stubbornness of dwarves will get us all killed one day."

Gimli glowers at her. "And tell me why I should listen to the words of an Elven Queen who cannot even manage to keep her own lands safe!"

Fury awakens in Gyda's soul at the words, eyes aflame as she glares at the dwarf. "What has your kin done, but cower in their caves for decades, dwarf."

The shouts only grew louder, thundering over the courtyard. Legolas was holding back the Mirkwood elves from attacking the dwarves, who in turn waved their weapons in the air as they shouted. Meanwhile Gandalf's voice was louder than any of them, shouting about how Sauron would destroy

As the argument grew louder and more ferocious, her ears catch the sound of a clear and determined voice, shouting to try and make itself heard above the noise.

"I will take it! I will take it!"

Slowly the shouting dies down as everyone faces the Hobbit, for it was Frodo who had spoken. He did not look all that certain of himself as he stares at all those people surrounding him. But his next words held firm determination.

"I will take the ring to Mordor!" He swallows nervously. "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 promises, placing a hand on his shoulders as he took a stand behind him.

On the other side of the room, Aragorn gets to his feet. "If by my life or death I can protect you I will." He crosses  the room in large stride before crouching down in front of the Hobbit. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas joins in, stepping towards the slowly forming group. Gyda swallows, wonder what Elgarain decision would be.

"And my axe," Gimli adds, smiling at Frodo.

She tenses as Elgarain stands up. The High-Queen of Lindon walks forward, kneeling in front of Frodo with a smile on her face. "You have my protection as well, Mr. Baggins. Should you wish for it?"

Frodo nods at her, seeming grateful for her offer.

"And you'll have mine." Gyda moves forward in confident strides, crouching down in front of the hobbit with a sincere look on her face. "for as long as you shall need it."

"You carry the fates of us all, little one," Boromir says as he slowly walks forward. "If this is indeed the will of the council then Gondor will see it done."

"Aye!" A voice shouted from behind the bushes.

Gyda grins subtly as another hobbit comes sprinting from his hiding place and joining Frodo's side. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me." He states bravely

"No, indeed it's hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," Lord Elrond mutters and though his words were stern, there was an amused smile painted on his features.

Suddenly her ears pick up rustling and hushed whispers and she grins, facing the other side of the courtyard, "He is not the only one,". Following the sound she walks to the entrance of the room and from behind two pillars she pulls two more Hobbits up by the scruff of their tunics. Protests echo around the courtyard as she brings them towards the group, their feet dangling above the ground before she drops them back on their feet.

The Hobbit in the green jacket threw a concerned look at Gyda, not seeming to know what to do now that he was discovered. But the other one knew exactly what to say.

"We're coming too! You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

The one with the green jacket nods then, seeming to have found his voice again. "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission. Quest. Thing."

Gyda scoffs at those words.

"Well, that rules you out Pip."

Lord Elrond took a deep breath, as if praying for patience. Then he spoke: "Eleven companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

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ELVISH TRANSLATIONS
mellon nin — my friend
tarinya— queen
havo dad— sit down