The Passing
Dear reader: I tweaked this chapter a little, so here is the new and improved-
Meeting the Hobbits
After the dinner was eaten, and Kohana was sound asleep, still weak from the fever, Mr. and Mrs. Boffin sat in their small parlor by the dim lantern light. Mr. Boffin, a stout little man, was sitting in an arm chair smoking his pipe-weed while the misses was knitting socks for their youngest child, Marien.
"So, the child is awake." Mr. Boffin had been working the farm all day, and had just come home a short while ago. Naturally, he had many questions for his wife. "Where does she hail from? Rohan or perhaps Gondor? Bilbo said she couldn't be an elf, for she had not the proper ears for one."
"I know not, dear. The only information I received from her was her name. Some queer name that sounds very foreign. I forgot, but shall ask again tomorrow."
Mrs. Boffin didn't know what to make of the girl. She had never seen a human, and didn't know their ways, but she did know for certain that this maiden was a strange one. While most of the female sex was quiet in demeanor and polite when spoken to, this maiden had a very far from quiet voice and demeanor.
She thought the child might reign from Rohan, for her shoulder length blonde hair. With the girl's short hair and slacks that she was wearing when she was found in the woods, she thought this maiden was a boy at first. Hobbits lasses defiantly did not have short hair, but because Mrs. Boffin was not familiar with humans, she was not sure of their customs and fashions.
Now, another peculiar thing which made this girl special was the jewelry around her neck. She had a very valuable pendent of diamonds and emeralds on a chain of gold around her neck. The likelihood of this girl being a princess from Rohan or Gondor was getting stronger, with evidence of being more than just an average girl. She had signs of good care such as clear skin, clean clothing, and no signs of hard labor. She also had all of her teeth, which was a sign of higher breeding. Most royalty had more teeth than most, but what was really suspious was that this child' teeth were white and straight! Mrs. Boffin had heard rumors that only elves were blesses with the beauty of white straight teeth. She might be half Elvin after all.
When Mrs. Boffin had seen the maiden awake earlier in the day she had almost stopped breathing, for she had seen pretty lasses before, but this one surpassed all others. Her short blonde hair framed an oval face of average proportion, but truly beautiful green eyes and smile. She wasn't sure whether the beauty came from the girls natural features, or that the features were well kept.
"I believe she might be a princess." Mrs. Boffin said while looking out the window. "She has that beautiful necklace. She is odd, though. She asked for a 'phone'. I do not know what a 'phone' is; perhaps it is something from her homeland. However, I am sure we shall find out more tomorrow."
"That we will, dear." Her husband replied. "We shall get down to the bottom of this mystery. Bilbo Baggins said he was going to contact Gandalf the Grey on this matter, if need be. He will wait for our word, and write a letter to the wizard."
Mr. Boffin looked into his wife's eyes with concern.
"Hopefully it will not come to that."
The next morning, Kohana was woken up by the sounds of pots and pans being clanked around in another room. It was dark outside so she could think of no reason why anyone would be up at this hour. Curiosity getting the best of her, she propped herself up.
'I wish I had a clock' she thought while adjusting her legs over the side of the bed. The cotton shift she was wearing only came to her mid thigh. 'Well, that is just great!' she thought. 'I'm an Amish hussy.'
Kohana wandered into the other room, her legs could barely carry her after a week of being bedridden.
"Crap!"
Her head hit the doorframe while she was concentrating on her balance. She looked up to the shocked faces of six short, and I mean SHORT people sitting around a table. She recognized Mrs. Boffin and Marien, but all the rest were strangers. There was an older man, with quite a belly on him at the head of the table. She presumed that to be Mr. Boffin. There were three young men, also very short (reminded her of hobbits) that had priceless expressions on their faces.
It seemed to be ages until anyone spoke, and then Mrs. Boffin put down the mug of tea and whispered, not that Kohana couldn't hear, "Really! Close those mouths before you welcome a nest of hens in them!"
"Now, child, you should not be out of bed!" Mrs. Boffin ran over to Kohana and took her hands into her own. "Let's take you back."
"But I'm not tired!"
"Well, breakfast is almost finished. Why don't you rest for a while, and you can come to the table for second breakfast!"
Kohana was about to speak again, but was interrupted by Mrs. Boffin's hand around her waist, "Lets get some rest, and then we will have some breakfast later."
Kohana was lead back to her room and tucked into bed. Sadly, she could not go back to sleep. The sun had come up, and she decided to prop herself up in bed, and look out the window. She watched as Mr. Boffin and his sons headed off to work the farm. One of the sons looked in the direction of her window, and they made eye contact. He grinned a little at her and blew her a kiss. Kohana was stupefied. She ducted and covered her mouth in a giggle.
'O.K., the one boy that pays attention to me has to be a crazy Amish midget that looks like Frodo'.
Sure, Kohana had always thought she was average looking, but nothing special. She was not skinny, but a healthy average girl with curves and hips. She had braces once upon a time, so her teeth were nice, and at an average
5'6'' frame and average body, boys didn't go in frenzy for her. She had never even had a boyfriend, so all this gawking made her very uncomfortable. All, around, this attraction these Amish hobbit guys where having for her freaked her out.
'Well, they ARE Amish, so they don't get out much . . .'
Just then, Marien skipped into the room and plopped herself onto Kohana's bed.
The two started at each other for a while. It wasn't tense, but a comfortable assessment of each other. Kohana certainly wasn't threatened by a five year old, and Marien was just curious, as most children are at that age. Like most of the other hobbits in Overhill, or for the Shire, in that respect- had never seen ten miles past their lazy and peaceful communities. Having a living and breathing product of the world foreign to her, Marien wanted to gaze at this odd spectacle.
"What is your name?' She asked with her wide eyes looking up at Kohana like pools of chocolate.
"My name is Kohana."
"Cooohonna?"
"Kohana"
Marien looked at her with utter confusion. Kohana smiled a little.
"You can call me Ana if you want. My sisters do."
"Ohhhhh. I will Ana."
The little girl seemed to think for a minute, and then her face light up.
"Tell me about your home, Ana." Marien was not even blinking.
Kohana laughed a little. 'You're cute, but I got to get out of here!' she thought to herself.
"Well, I would love that Marien, but I have to go home soon. My Parents and sisters are worried about me."
"I am sure they are lass." Mrs. Boffin was standing in the doorway. She didn't know whether Marien should be making attachments to this mystery girl.
"Marien, you have to help me make bread. Go wash your hands, dear." Marien jumped off the bed, and ran out of the room, but not before turning back to give Kohana a big look of curiosity.
"Now, I believe we have some things to discuss, miss."
Mrs. Boffin sat on the end of the bed, and folded her hands on her lap.
"What is your name?
"Kohana."
"What an odd name."
"It's Japanese."
"What dear, I don't understand."
Kohana was frustrated. 'Were the Amish educated? Japan! Hello! Mitsubishi, sushi, those little "made in Japan" labels? Well, I can understand not knowing those THAT, but they should at least know the world map. Japan, HELLO?
This is useless-
"Just call me Ana."
"Lady Ana, where do you hail from?"
'Oh Good Lord!' Kohana thought.
"I'm from the U.S."
Mrs. Boffin seemed to have a confused look on her face.
"You know, the united states of AMERICA!"
Kohana was more than a little frustrated now. Was this woman daft?
"There is no need to shout, lady Ana!"
"Well, then let me go home! Where am I?"
"You are in Overhill, in the Shire."
Hmmmm, the shire. Was that Amish slang?
"The Shire?"
"Yes dear, the Shire."
The only 'shire' Kohana had heard of was in Lord of the Rings, but these people couldn't know about that. The only book they read was the Bible.
'Wait!' she thought. Her brain started turning . . . 'Everyone was midget size, and talked in this old English kind of dialect. Oh my God, Oh my God!'
She was being kidnapped by a crazy Amish cult that was obsessed with Lord of the Rings. Next thing you know, some guy will walk by with a "Frodo Lives!" T-Shirt.
"Ummm, this isn't middle earth is it?"
"Why yes, dear. Where else would you be?"
Kohana couldn't believe this. She was in a nightmare. A nightmare with little hobbits!
"You crazy people! Oh my God! You've kidnapped me! I'm going to die! You're going to sacrifice me to Gandalf. HELP, SOMEONE HELP ME!".
And that is when Kohana bolted.
She got off the bed as soon as she could, and raced out of the Boffin's little house while trying not to bang her head on the ceiling as she went. Mrs. Boffin didn't follow her, which was a relief, for the little hobbit lass would have had problems keeping up with Kohana, anyway.
Kohana looked around for where to go, but to no avail, she was in a strange place and had no idea. Plus, running barefoot made it hard to get anywhere. She started jogging down the gravel road that leads from the Boffin's house to 'who knows where' Kohana thought. She hissed under her breath while rocks dug into the bottoms of her feet.
Suddenly, she arrived to what must be the "main st." of Overhill.
Shops, and cart and buggies everywhere. Kohana looked around for help, but all she saw where dozens of hobbit faces staring back at her with fear. Her hands reached her chest, which was felt as if it would explode any minute. With her heart weak from the fever, and the shock of hobbit people all around her, Kohana was forced to do the one thing the thought she would never do.
She fainted.