The Other Ranger [ Lord Of The Rings x Silmarillion ]

The Council (Part Two)

"The questions you ask, Galdor, are bound together," said Elrond, "I had not overlooked them, and they shall be answered. But these things it Is the part of Gandalf to make clear; and I call upon him last, for it is the place of honor, and in all this matter he has been the chief."

And so Gandalf went on to speak about Saruman, and the betrayal that he suffered at his fellow wizard's hands. He also spoke about Gollum.

"And I," said Aragorn, "counselled that we should hunt for Gollum, too late though it may seem. And since it seemed fit that Isildur's heir should labor to repair Isildur's fault, I went with Gandalf on the long and hopeless search. And in the end, we were joined by Miril, here."

For the first time that day, all eyes turned upon her.

"Do not look at me," she assured them, "It was mainly the work of Aragorn and Gandalf that brought about this leg of the journey."

And so attention switched once more to Aragorn and Gandalf as they told of the capture of Gollum and his interrogation in the halls of Mirkwood. They spoke of how they entrusted Gollum to the watchfulness of the Elves.

"Alas! Alas," cried Legolas, "The tidings that I was sent to bring must now be told. They are not good, but only here have I learned how evil they may seem to this company. Smeagol, who is now called Gollum, has escaped!"

"Escaped," cried Aragorn, "That is ill news indeed. We shall all rue it bitterly, I fear. How came the folk of Thranduil to fail in their trust?"

Legolas went on to explain how the elves would take Gollum to climb trees each day until one day he refused to come down. They set a watch upon the tree but were attacked by orcs, and by the time the battle was over, Gollum had disappeared.

"We have failed to recapture Gollum. We came on his trail among those of many orcs, and it plunged deep into the Forest, going south. But ere long it escaped our skill, and we dared not continue the hunt; for we were drawing nigh to Dol Guldur, and that is still a very evil place; we do not go that way."

"Well, well, he is gone," mused Gandalf, "We have no time to seek for him again. He must do what he will. But he may play a part yet that neither he nor Sauron have foreseen."

The rest of the Council was spent with Gandalf discussing how Saruman had imprisoned him and his escape by Gwaihir the Windlord. Everyone but Elrond was shocked at the tale. Saruman? Betrayed them? It was all much to take in.

"This is grievous news concerning Saruman," Elrond said, "for we trusted him and he is deep in all our counsels. It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill. Of all the tales told today, the tale of Frodo was the most strange to me. I have known few hobbits, save Bilbo here, and it seems to me that he is perhaps not so alone and singular as I had thought him. The world has changed much since I was last on the westward roads."

Finally talked turned to what to do with the Ring.

"There are but two courses, as Glorfindel already has declared: to hide the Ring forever, or to unmake it. But both are beyond our power. Who will read this riddle for us?"

"We must send the Ring to the fire."

Everyone fell silent. Miril felt a tug as she looked as the ring. It called to her. It wanted her. She wanted it. But she shook her head, she could not have it. It was not hers. It was evil. She could not have it.

"What would happen to the three elven rings if the One were destroyed," Miril asked suddenly after long silence.

"We know not for certain," answered Elrond sadly, "Some hope that the three rings, which Sauron has never touched, would then become free and their rulers might heal the hurts of the world that he has wrought. But maybe when the One is gone, the Three will fail, and many fair things will fade and be forgotten. That is my belief."

"Yet all the Elves are willing to endure this chance," said Glorfindel, "if by it the power of Sauron may be broken, and the fear of his dominion be taken away forever."

After a long silence, Miril noticed Frodo shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Finally, he stood.

"I will take the Ring to Mordor," he said, "though I do not know the way."

Elrond nodded slowly, "If I understand aright all that I have heard, I think that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will. This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck?"

Elrond sighed, "But it is a heavy burden. So heavy that none could lay it on another. I do not lay it on you. But if you take it freely, I will say that your choice is right; and though all the mighty elf-friends of old, Hador, and Húrin, and Túrin, and Beren himself were assembled together, your seat should be among them."

Suddenly Sam leapt from the corner he'd been sitting in, "But surely you won't send him off alone, Master?!"

"No indeed," Elrond smiled, "You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."

Miril laughed out loud at the sheepish look on Sam's face. At last the Council was dismissed. Miril left with Aragorn.

"Aragorn," she said, walking beside him, "Shouldn't someone go after Gollum?"

He shrugged, "It is unlikely that they would catch him."

"But someone should at least try!"

Aragorn shook his head, pausing in their steps and grabbing her arm. "Don't do anything hasty, Miril."

"I won't." She smiled innocently. "Don't worry."

"I heard that the Twins will be back for dinner tonight," Aragorn commented as they began to walk again.

"Oh, that's good!"

"Thought you might be happy."

"What's that supposed to mean," Miril asked him quickly.

Aragorn smirked, "Nothing."