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The Passing

The Plan

Asleep! O sleep a little while, white pearl!


And let me kneel, and let me pray to thee,


And let me call Heaven's blessing on thine eyes,


And let me breathe into the happy air,


That doth enfold and touch thee all about,


Vows of my slavery, my giving up,


My sudden adoration, my great love!

-Keats

"What is that evil creature doing in MY room!"

Glorfindel paced back and forth in front of Lord Elrond.

He had not meant for Glorfindel to find out in this manner.

"Calm yourself Glorfindel! I had to place her in your wing for her protection. Your rooms are located in the perfect location for guards to surround the entire perimeter."

Glorfindel knew his lord was right, but stubbornness made his face betray himself.

"You know this, Glorfindel."

With clinched hands and a boiling temper Glorfindel threw open the doors.

"I excuse myself My Lord." Trying to muster the last of his composer he nodded to Elrond and walk out of his study.

Elrond rubbed his eyes with his hands. 'It is going to be a long day'.

Kohana saw the bad tempered blonde elf pass her in the hallway. She wanted to stop him and apologize for using his things, but something in the back of her mind told her that wouldn't be wise.

Instead, she continued down the hall followed Gandalf into a room at the end of the corridor.

Walking in the room struck her very nerve.

Before her stood a bold presence.

That is all Kohana could think of to describe the elf before her. His dark brown hair framed a face full of wisdom and graceful age. His mere stance seemed to demand respect, but not in a harsh way. More of a request- on which no one would refuse.

"Elrond." Kohana whispered under her breath, for it could be no other in her mind.

He nodded with a slight grin.

Elrond was amused. Gandalf was correct in his judgment, for he also saw a scared and harmless girl. Sure, the girl knew too much, but as long as she was hidden well no threat would come to her, or to middle earth.

He came closer to her and reached for her palm, kissing it with much care.

"I see that you know of me, child."

Kohana just kind of stood there in shock. She had never met an elf before and was struck by Elrond's strong presence. Elrond had seemed to sooth her mind and the contact of lips to palm made sparks fly in her nerves.

Mind you, it was not a sexual attraction, but more of a fascination of beauty. And elves were very beautiful, and when mild mannered they exuded calmness in waves.

Elrond led Kohana to a chair and she sat down slowly, never leaving eye contact with the elf lord.

"Now child, we have much to discuss."

Kohana seemed to regain her composer when Elrond left her side to stand next to Gandalf.

"Kohana. It's Kohana." She smiled.

Elrond was not smiling. He was not used to being corrected, and especially not by a woman. He had sensed the boldness in her manner as she looked at him straight in the eyes.

He nodded once again in her direction.

It seemed as if both parties were testing each others boundaries.

Gandalf was nervous and afraid that Kohana would say too much.

Elrond found it amusing.

"Miss Kohana." He replied.

"Ummmm, Elrond, sir . . . Can you help me get home?"

Elrond and Gandalf looked to each other; Elrond seemed to say 'she does get to the point, doesn't she'.

Elrond cleared his throat.

"Miss Kohana. Being that we do not know how you arrived in middle earth we can not, therefore get you out. However, we do have a plan of action."

Kohana's eyes narrowed. 'What! You're Elrond! Of course you can find a way to get me home!' She reminded herself to stay calm. An angry elf is a scary elf. She learned that earlier.

"I want to go home!"

'Oh great. Here we go.' Gandalf thought.

"I see your distress, young one, but we can not be rash. I will look into a remedy to get you home."

"A REMEDY is not good enough! I want to go home NOW!" All her hope was fading before her eyes. This was not acceptable!

Her eyes grew bright.

"Maybe I'll go to Sauron! Perhaps he can get me home!"

Elrond's eyes grew large as well. He couldn't believe the nerve of this girl. Gandalf grabbed Kohana's arm and squeezed, hard. It was one of those squeezes that mothers do to their children when they disobey.

"You are treading on dangerous ground!"

Kohana yanked her arm back while rubbing it with her hand. She let a tear run down her face.

"I just want to go home . . ." she covered her face with her hands and began to cry bitterly.

Elrond felt compassion for the human, knowing she was just frustrated and alone. He came to her side and began to sooth her with running his hands down her shoulder until it reached her hands and taking them into her own. Her red puffy eyes met his calm green ones.

"Child." He said in an almost whisper. "Be strong. I will help you in any way I can. Do not fear." She formed a slight smile while mesmerized by his warmth.

He smiled as well.

Gandalf rolled his eyes.

Elrond stood and resumed his indifferent stance.

"No one but Gandalf and I know your true identity. I wish to keep it that way." Elrond crossed the room to a window and placed his hands behind his back. He knew she would not like what was to come.

"I held a secret meeting with my counsel earlier this day." He paused. "In that meeting I told my advisors that you were a foreign witch captive from a far away land, and your intentions were to aid Sauron in his endeavors." He turned to look in Kohana's eyes.

"I did this to make sure no one would interact with you." The elf looked down. "However, by doing this all will avoid and hate you. For that I am most sorry, but I had no other option."

Another tear spilled down Kohana's cheek. Elrond moved toward her.

"I am truly sorry."

Kohana thought about these new developments.

'So that is why Glorfindel hated her from the beginning. Not because a girl was staying in his room, but an evil witch was staying in his room.'

"However," began Gandalf who had been silent all this time, "You will be leaving Rivendell in a few months to be guarded in Mirkwood. King Thrandril has been guarding the creature Gollum from Sauron's evil grasp in his lands and agreed to house you in his forest as well." Gandalf tried to smile. "You should be safer there."

Kohana was livid. She needed to get out of here. She slumped into her chair.

"My I go. I'm tired."

Elrond nodded.

"Oh course, Miss Kohana."

He took her hand and led her to the door.

"Be strong young one. I see much fire in you." He whispered as he opened the door.

She nodded and left the room.

Elrond new Kohana would be alright, and that she just needed time for everything to soak in. He sent a prayer to the Valar as he watched her retreating form walk toward her wing surrounded by guards.

But Kohana was not alright. She lay in her bed racked with tears and moans as to her fate.

Never would she again see her sisters, or go to college, or see the San Francisco bay light up by barges in the harbor. Her home was forever gone from her grasp.

She was in a foreign world in which everyone hated her and no way out.

Her cries were heard by the guards until the early hours of the morning and they wondered, 'What could upset such an evil creature.'