#361 - Accountability
This was a decision that shocked many people, including Frodo himself.
Gandalf paused for a moment, pretending not to hear Frodo's initial outcry, and continued to persuade the others.
No, child, turn back now, go back now, you can avoid that pain…
Even if this is some kind of inevitable necessity.
“I will take the Ring to Mordor.”
The argument stopped abruptly.
“But I don’t know the way.”
This time, he couldn't pretend not to hear.
Gandalf was the first to step forward, standing behind Frodo.
“I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, for as long as it is yours to bear.”
“If I can protect you with my life, then I will not hesitate to give it.”
Aragorn knelt on one knee, looking at Frodo, and said, “From this moment on, my sword is at your command.”
At this moment, Gandalf glanced to the side, exchanging glances with Livy and Elrond.
Livy raised his eyebrows.
The three reached a consensus.
So it was decided.
“And my bow.” Legolas stepped forward.
“And my axe.”
Gimli, with only the axe handle left, followed suit, then muttered in a low voice, “But you have to get me a new one.”
His axe was shattered by the Ring.
When Frodo stood up, even the thoughtful Boromir was shocked, and he was impressed by the spirit of this Hobbit.
“You shoulder a heavy fate, little one.”
“If this is the final decision of the Council, then Gondor will support it.”
“Hey, and me!”
At this moment, Sam jumped out.
Neither Elrond nor Gandalf was surprised by this person's appearance; they had discovered this guy hiding nearby long ago.
But the next two were a bit out of the plan.
“And us!”
Pippin and Merry jumped out after Sam.
“Don’t think about separating us from Frodo, unless you tie us up and put us in sacks and take us away.”
Livy suddenly rubbed his hands, suppressing a certain thought that shouldn't have arisen.
In such a serious occasion… this is not good.
In the silence, Elrond recovered and asked:
“Do you know what you are getting involved in?”
“Uh, some kind of mission?”
“Adventure… or something?”
The brothers looked at each other, and both saw clarity and straightforwardness in each other's eyes.
They didn't know, but don't think about letting them leave.
“Nine companions.”
Elrond nodded, as if affirming.
“So be it, let you be named the ‘Fellowship of the Ring.’”
On this day, the Fellowship of the Ring expedition was established.
“Great.”
Pippin clenched his fist.
“By the way, where are we going?”
Everyone's face was stunned.
The meeting ended with the establishment of the Fellowship of the Ring team.
In the final stage, people discussed the members of the Fellowship team. Some people thought that the last two Hobbits who joined were not suitable because they were too weak.
For safety reasons, Elrond explained his intentions. In fact, he also agreed with this point. Instead of letting the Hobbits accompany him, he thought that letting Glorfindel together could better protect Frodo's safety.
“No, Lord Elrond, I think the addition of Merry and Pippin is just right. In many cases, friendship and loyalty are more important than strength.”
Gandalf retorted: “Whether it is Glorfindel, or Livy, whom you have been staring at since just now, their strength is too great to hide.”
“Their joining will only make Sauron even more crazy. He will desperately send troops here and launch the most violent attack on the Fellowship team. At that time, let alone escorting Frodo to the heart of Mordor, I am afraid that the Fellowship team will have to be forced to start the final battle between the free people and the dark forces before they have gone far.”
“Okay, so be it.”
Elrond nodded, he looked at Livy again and asked, “What do you think?”
“I have no opinion.”
“Trust them, their friendship and will will be presented.”
After saying this, Livy leaned back on the chair, and there was nothing else to say.
This matter is no longer suitable for him to directly intervene.
The Fellowship team is acting in the dark, and he is in the light, and can only be in the light.
Sometimes being too conspicuous is also a troublesome thing.
Everything was officially finalized.
Thus, the meeting ended.
The Fellowship team temporarily dispersed and made their own preparations.
At night, Aragorn came to his mother's grave to say his final farewell.
“I’m not ready to shoulder this responsibility…”
“She thought bringing you to Rivendell would keep you safe.”
Elrond interrupted Aragorn's sadness.
“But in fact, she knew in her heart that you were destined to not escape fate.”
“The Elves still have the ability to reforged the Sword of Kings, but only you have the right to wield it.”
“I don’t want this power.”
After decades of wandering and experience, Aragorn at this moment no longer had the vigor of his youth. For some reason, he was a little bit retreating.
“Only you have this bloodline, irreplaceable, unavoidable.”
Elrond said from behind.
Aragorn lowered his head in silence, without responding for a moment.
On the other side.
“Quick, pull it out and take a look.”
Bilbo called Frodo to his room and handed him an Elven short sword.
“This is my old buddy—Sting, see if it’s suitable?”
Frodo pulled out the sword upon hearing this, and his face was immediately surprised.
“It’s so light, and it feels so sharp.”
“Oh, that’s right. When I was in Rivendell, Livy told me that he had added some sharpness enchantment to this sword. Since then, I have felt that it has become different. As Livy said, it has become sharper, even though it was already very sharp. Well, after all, it was made by elves.”
“Speaking of Elven creations, I also have to tell you that once Orcs get close, its blade will emit blue light.”
“I don’t know if you have seen Livy’s ‘Nemesis’. He doesn’t use that sword much now, but back then it was his symbol. When Nemesis lit up, the Orcs knew that Livy was coming, and they would flee in all directions, with no courage to fight.”
“That ‘Nemesis’ was also made by elves, maybe it comes from the same source as this sword.”
“By the way, there’s also this…”
Bilbo continued to rummage through his box, took out a mithril armor for Frodo to put on, and then took out a pile of golden apples.
“Give one to each of your companions. Livy gave me a lot of these things.”
On this day, Frodo was once again shocked speechless by his uncle.
Just as he had said before, no matter how long it had been, Bilbo always had a lot of mysteries on his body that he couldn’t explore clearly. Slightly revealing a little would shock this traditional hobbit who was used to a comfortable life.
…
“Do you know it?”
Outside Bilbo's room, Livy and Glorfindel, who were strolling leisurely on the path, happened to see the scene of the uncle and nephew rummaging through boxes and handing over items.
So Livy pointed to Bilbo's Elven short sword 'Sting' and tried to find out its origin.
“Oh?”
Glorfindel looked over with interest. Although it was far away, don't mention it, he really saw it.
“A little familiar, um…”
Glorfindel smiled, with nostalgia in that smile, and some indescribable and profound meaning.
“This is the first time I've seen Bilbo take it out.”
“So, do you know it?” Livy asked.
Glorfindel just smiled, shook his head, and nodded again.
“Can you not be so ambiguous and tell me what it’s called.”
“Sting, didn’t Bilbo give it a name?”
“Okay, okay.”
Livy raised his eyebrows, and was also annoyed by the elf's roundabout words.
But…
If I remember correctly, Glorfindel used a short sword when he killed the Balrog, or in terms of elf sizes, it should be said to be a dagger.
Things are getting interesting.
Livy thought, and shook his head again.
But it’s just a guess, after all, he didn’t say it.
Forget it, let him be.
