"The ring is no weapon in the hands of men. It has but one master. I have seen the future in which it returns to him. It is something few would wish to live through"
he says softly, he spoke rarely in anything other than elvish, but when he did his words usually carried an unseen weight to them.
"you have seen it?" questions an unbelieving human lord.
"I have seen a great many things that never came to pass, for I can see not what was or what is but what may be." he again speaks, his voice gentle but unwavering.
"they're right... We cannot use it" Gandalf agrees,
"you have only one choice, the ring must be destroyed!" Elrond raises his voice and the council stops their chat.
"Then... what are we waiting for!" shouts a dwarve, foolishly rushing forward He swings his axe down on the ring. The axe shatters with a deafening crack, to all but Ithil who barely hears it, the dwarve falls backward staring in disbelief at the ring. It's, of course, unharmed.
The hobbit winces and slumps in this chair, clutching his forehead. Ithil peers at him with interest...
"The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, 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."
Ithil lowers his head in thought, he would not be the first to volunteer, he was far too wise for that. But should Aragorn, he may consider this quest his new destination.
The air is full of Stunned silence...the council sits with downcast eyes, as if
a great dread has descended on them
"One does not simply walk into Mordor. 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." the steward's son protests
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The ring must be destroyed." Legolas rightly protests, Ithil recognized his face but had not spoken to the elf before, though Aragorn clearly had. he must hold a position of power or special ability in order to attend a council of this magnitude.
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" shouts the dwarve, his clear dislike for elves showing. Ithil rolls his eyes,
"We should not fight, it would not be beneficial to the cause in the least" Ithil reasoned but his soft voice went unheard to all but the elves.
"And 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!"
voices grew louder and angrier, Ithil for once wished he could not hear and considered taking off the necklace altogether
"Do you not understand? While we bicker among ourselves, Sauron's power grows! No one will escape it. You will all be destroyed, your homes burnt and your families put to the sword!" Gandalf shouted desperately
The tension grew and those who had remained sitting began to rise from their seats
"i will take it..."
Ithils eyes snapped open as the hobbit whispered these words, but no one heard. Too busy arguing...
"STOP!" he shouted, those who knew him stared in shock, and those who didn't stared all the same. He never raised his voice. Never.
Ithil nodded his head to the hobbit, "..I will take it...I will take the Ring to Mordor." he whispered once again, taking a moment to look around at the astounded faces.
"Though...I do not know the way," he mutters sheepishly
To be continued