This chapter was fun to write. You might recognize a certain part of it.

So sue me! I got an idea from a scene from the old school 1995 movie "A Yankee in King Arthur's Court" and used it in this chapter.

Enjoy!

Queenie

The Passing

And the bond grows stronger

Kohana's life became a normal routine the next few weeks.

Neither Glorfindel nor she ever mentioned the garden 'episode'.

And they liked it that way.

But the wind was about to change their circumstances.

The blond elf dressed in the garments of the Mirkwood folk stood at ease waiting for orders from Elrond in his study.

Lord Elrond studied the letter in his hands and turned his attention to the waiting elf.

The elf lord sent the Mirkwood messenger away.

He folded the letter in his hands.

His mind turned to the matter which plagued his thoughts daily.

He conveniently knew of the garden 'episode' between Kohana and Glorfindel thanks to the three amigos.

While the elf lord's wiser judgment told him to stop the friendship that was forming, his heart told him to let the two be.

'Let the poor girl have some company before she is banished to the wilderness and isolation of Mirkwood.' His inner monologue told him.

'Glorfindel is wise. He will not falter.'

It was Kohana he was worried about.

"The girl knows the severe weight that hangs upon her head. She is neither ignorant nor foolish; she will not falter by telling too much.'

Elrond looked out his balcony to the gardens below.

'I have no other option but to trust in her.'

The realization did not set well with the elf lord, but he knew it was true. However, not only his faith depended on Kohana, but the future of Middle Earth.

Currently, this grave thought was not dwelling in the head of Kohana.

She was once again practicing with Glorfindel on the training fields.

"Very good, Kohana. Just make sure to raise you elbow a little more next time."

Kohana took a gulp of water from her 'thermos'. It was a pouch made from a deer's stomach covered by deer skin.

Kohana didn't know she was drinking from a deer's stomach, and Glorfindel didn't know what a thermos was.

Ignorance is bliss.

Kohana notched another arrow in her bow.

'Awesome. I feel like Xena!' she smirked while releasing her left hand.

Zing!

Another arrow flew into the forest, landing yards away from the target, and into a bush somewhere.

The fact that the arrow made it nowhere near the target did not hinder Kohana's pride. She wasn't focusing on where the arrow went, just on her form.

Glorfindel grinned.

"For a girl you learn very quickly."

Kohana sondered over to her instructor with a smug expression on her face.

She spit the water she had stored in her mouth in the shocked elf's face.

"For an elf you don't."

Glorfindel didn't look happy at all.

Kohana screamed and began running away from the red faced elf. In a flash he had the girl pinned against a tree. Her hands were clasped behind her back while a very smug Glorfindel pressed on her as she continued to squirm.

"Suddenly your situation has turned against you, young one."

Kohana winced.

"I may be a mere flash in comparison of your years on this earth, but I am not young! I am a very mature woman!"

"A mature woman that does not have the since to refrain from spitting in the face of her wise teacher."

Kohana sighed. There was no way she would win this. Glorfindel was stubborn, and she was smart enough to pick her battles. With all of the whimpering she could muster she began to cry;

"Oh great Glorfindel! How could I have been so foolish! You are so very wise, and I am in need to a great protector! Please release me. I beg for your mercy!"

Glorfindel smiled. 'That's more like it.'

He released her, but not before she had smacked his butt.

"Yeah right!"

More chasing ensued, followed by bits and bruises.

Glorfindel was amused, for he had not acted this way since he was five hundred years old.

Kohana was amused, for she was having some fun. She forgot about her troubles for a little while, which in itself is a blessing.

The three amigos were amused, for watching the great elf lord Glorfindel being kicked by a girl was not something you see every day.

Glorfindel looked at Kohana while she lay in the grass with her eyes closed. She had fallen asleep after they had had finished training and had their lunch.

He watched as her chest rose and fell in rhythm. 'Humans were the most peculiar creatures', he thought.

'Or perhaps just this one in particular.'

This girl could act like an elfling on minute, but suddenly switch to a wise woman way beyond her years.

Glorfindel had not spent much time with the race of men. He had fought beside many during the first rise of Suaron. He had even trained Isildur's Heir, Estel. However, he had never met a human as peculiar as this girl.

She made him feel at ease, for Glorfindel always found himself a little up tight around maidens. He had to be careful around Kohana, thought, because he found himself growing attached to her.

He held warm feelings toward her, for if she were an elf maiden he would court her. But she was human and would leave his life as fast as she had entered it. To fall for a human was folly and he knew it would only end in strife.

Glorfindel resolved to care for Kohana as best he could while she was in his care. He would be her companion for she had no other.

And he would not wear his heart on his sleeve.

Dear Journal,

I believe my birthday is soon. I do not know the exact date in this world, but summer is upon the land and that is near my birthday.

I must be nineteen by now. I wonder how long I will live in this world. I might die of disease, giant spiders in Mirkwood, or maybe Sauron himself will kill me.

I keep having dreams of him calling me into his presence.

I long to be freed from my imprisonment here. I wonder if, after the fellowship and all that drama -and if Sauron does fall- will Elrond let me dwell here in Rivendell as a citizen instead of a prisoner?

I love being among the elves. I wish they didn't hate me so much, though.

They put me to shame with all their beauty and grace. I believe they are the angels of this world. I would love to fall asleep to their song every night.

Glory makes me so confused. He treats me like a child one moment, but the next he stares into my eyes as though he cares for me. I think I might be infatuated with him. I wouldn't call it love, for I think it would be impossible to love him. I could spend the rest of my days with an elf and not know his character enough to be in love with him.

I am embarrassed that he might think I am a naive little girl.

Yes. I believe it is infatuation I have with Glorfindel.

The way he looks at me when I surprise him, or make him laugh. It is a shame for all who have never heard an elf laugh, for it is the most beautiful sound in the world.

I do not trust myself under that smile of his. All he had to do was take me and I would be his.

And I hate him for it.

Namarie,

Ana

Kohana had gained permission to use the palace kitchen after hours. She pitter pattered down the hall followed by the three amigos toward her midnight snack.

She had been living off of elf food for months now, and to her surprise, had lost her vegetarianism.

Supposedly, elves find it offensive if you do not eat what is put in front of you. Slowly she began to enter the world of carnivores once again.

Tonight- she wants a burger, and her mouth watered thinking about it.

Entering the kitchen Kohana's mouth dropped. The kitchen was huge!

'Well, it should be- it is a palace.'

Kohana began to look through the many cupboards and various drawers to find the ingredients she needed.

She found bread, meat, and tomatoes. She cut the bread into buns best she could and started to toast them. She started shredding the meat to pack it into patties to put on the huge hearth.

Unaware to the three amigos, she was making them a mid night snack as well.

While chopping up the meat she began to hum absentmindedly. Her mind dwelled in the world she missed.

Her memories brought her to the musical her private school had performed last year. Kohana may have attended an all girl Catholic school, but they put on a mean 'Phantom of the Opera'. She loved its glitz with all the dramatic music and over the top acting.

Kohana began dancing around dramatically as the kitchen was filled with Phantom of the Opera.

"You were once my one companion

You were all that mattered

You were once a friend and father

Then my world was shattered . . ."

Using a spoon as a microphone she began to twirl herself around the room. The song went on and Kohana got louder.

Kohana didn't know if she was being a nut because lack of company or because of the late hour in which she cooked.

As the girl danced she never noticed her secret observer in the doorway.

His stern eyes had a gleam in them.

As she twirled near the door, she bumped into an amused Elrond. Their eyes met and Kohana let out a gasp.

He had his arms folded, and (if it were possible) he looked disheveled with bed head. Kohana's eyes grew along with the blush that engulfed her face. Elrond was grinning under his obvious facade of annoyance.

Kohana looked absolutely adorable.

"Young maiden. Would you try being respectable for one moment. Some of us have sensitive hearing."

Kohana just stared at him wide eyed. His tunic was unbuttoned to his navel and she was going to have a heart attack from the affect it had on her.

'Good Lord, put some clothes on.' She though to herself. 'Even old elves are hot here.'

Elrond walked over to the table top where Kohana was creatively preparing her snack.

"What is this you are making?" He began to finger the bowl which contained some olive oil and eggs in it (her attempt to make mayonnaise).

"I am making a dish native to my land." She felt bad for waking the Lord up.

He was enjoying making her feel guilty.

The elf turned toward the maid. In all truth Kohana hadn't disturbed his slumber, for he had trouble sleeping and had been wondering the halls. Elf didn't need much sleep, anyway. He had heard her voice and, seeing the three amigos guarding the kitchen entry, went within to find her.

"If you make me this foreign dish I will forgive you for your rudeness."

Yup, He was definitely enjoying this.

Elrond's eyes scanned the room. He smelled meat and bread cooking. He wondered what kind of dish Kohana was making.

Kohana nodded at the elf and continued to mold another meat patty. The elf walked over to her side and observed the cooking.

Elrond stared at her as she worked. After Kohana had placed the meat patties near the fire to cook, she diced up tomatoes and onion.

Her hands prepared the food as Elrond watched them intently.

"The meat has to cook so it will be a while." Kohana sat herself by the hearth so she would be able turn over the meat. Elrond stood near her with is hands folded behind his back.

"May I as you a question, child?"

Kohana looked up at the elf and nodded.

"What is this strange metal that is fastened onto your stomach?"

'Stupid Glorfindel with is big mouth!' she thought. 'He must have told Elrond when he saw my stomach that one day.'

She stood up and lifted her shirt enough to reveal the piercing. The barbell was a simple one with a jewel attached to it. She understood Glorfindel's curiosity, but he shouldn't have told Lord Elrond about it.

She was going to kill him.

Kohana moved the barbell up and down through the piercing and looked up at the elf lord.

"This is a belly button piercing. I got it when I turned eighteen."

Elrond was wide eyed although he did not let Kohana know how shocked he was. He had though it might have been clipped on as jewelry, but not pierced through her navel.

"Why did you have this done?"

'This is so embarrassing.' She thought. 'I feel like I am talking to my dad, kind of.'

Kohana thought about how she should explain it.

She had done it because it was something crazy to do with Tori on her birthday. She remembered the smell of alcohol and the guy who had done it. Was his name Rex? Maybe it was Moe.

Either way she had found it a good memory.

"Most girls in my culture get something pierced when they become of age. I chose to have my stomach pierced."

"So it is a right of passage?"

"I guess you could say that."

"How about the necklace you wear. Are you royalty in your homeland?"

'Man Elrond was curious!' she thought. 'Although it is nice to tell someone about my home.'

Kohana smiled.

The elf lord was staring intently at her. He could not hide the intrigue he held for the human.

Her hands came up to the cross around her neck.

"This was from my mother. It is from a land called Jerusalem." Still fingering the pendent a grin spread across her face.

"I was not royalty, but still wealthy." She looked away. "I was well taken care of."

Kohana set her attention on cooking once more. She walked over to the hearth and carried the cooked meat to the table where Elrond sat.

"Where are the plates?"

Elrond rose from his chair and walked to a cubboard and opened it.

"How many do we need?"

"Five."

Elrond thought that she was using a lot of plates for one snack but gathered them anyway. Once he brought the plates to the table Kohana began to prepare the burgers. She but two toasted buns on each plate, covering one of the buns with mayonnaise followed by a tomato slice. On the other bun she laid the meat patty and then compiled the two. After cutting each burger in half, separating them, and loading the center of the plate with fried potato wedges she pushed one of the plates toward Elrond.

"Eat up."

Kohana then carried the other burgers out to the three amigos. The elf guards were surprised to say the least.

She returned to a confused Elrond. He was investigating it intently.

"How do you eat this dish?"

Kohana sat down across from the elf and picked up one of her burger halves.

"Like this." The girl looked at her burger and smiled. She bit into it and made an 'Mmmmm' sound.

It was nothing like the hamburgers from home, but it would do.

Elrond thought Kohana's way of eating rather vulgar, but not wanting to offend the girl, picked up a burger half and took a small bite. After nibbling more on the food for further inspection the elf took a huge bite. Next he tried a potato wedge, and after finding that satisfactory he smiled at Kohana. He obviously liked what he tasted because soon the only sound that could be heard for the next few minutes were smacks and 'Mmmmmm's.

Ten minutes or so later both girl and elf had finished their plates. Kohana relaxed and propped her head in her hands.

"Were you scared of me when you and I first met?"

Elrond, who was enjoying the silence, was caught a little off guard.

"I suppose I wanted to hate you." He paused. "But I couldn't."

"What do you mean?"

Elrond folded his hands on the table.

"The first time I looked into your eyes I saw no evil."

Kohana smiled in a playful way.

"I could be putting a spell on you."

Elrond laughed. His smile showed his beautiful face and relaxed demeanor. Rarely anyone saw him in this state but his late wife and children.

"Tell me child," Elrond paused to gather this thoughts. Was he being to bold? Did he really want to know?

"Tell me of your land, for any nation that can make such food is well worth hearing about."

Kohana went through her life in her head. How could she explain cars, electricity, and nuclear war?

She decided to start out small, and not mention such things that he would not be able to comprehend.

"I was raised in a place called San Francisco, California. It is a very big port by the sea and a place where the arts thrived."

"The arts?"

"Painting, songs, beauty."

Elrond grinned and urged her to go on.

"Unlike this land, all children were educated. I was taught", Kohana paused. She tried to use world that Lord Elrond would understand,

"Writing, reading, arithmetic, strategy, history of my people. I was educated to the fullest of my potentinal so that I could take care of myself."

"So you were not promised into marriage? What of that?"

"I planned on doing that later in my life."

Elrond nodded. He did not understand the culture that Kohana had come from. One of the things he valued so much about his wife had been her fragility. She had been soft and gentle and everything that he was not. It had been his job to care for her. A job in which he had failed.

Kohana culture took all of those ideas away. This girl was educated, smart, and could take care of herself. Well, at least to an extent. She crossed the lines that were drawn between the sexes, and he found that fascinating. He hoped his Arwen would be like her in that way.

"You received the education that a king would be worthy of."

"I suppose compared to this land I am quite a different breed."

Elrond looked at the child once more before he rose from his chair and walked to the doorway. Kohana got up but not without complaint.

"Don't we need to clean up our mess?" Kohana asked as she followed him.

"It will be fine, Kohana."

"How do you know?"

Elrond smiled as he patted her on the head.

"I am the Lord of this palace. No kitchen maid will be chasing me around with a rolling pin, I assure you."

Kohana rolled her eyes.

"I would if you left my kitchen in a ruckus." Kohana murmured. Elrond smiled once more.

"Then I chant ever mess with your belongings."

Elrond walked out of the kitchen doorway and nodded to the three amigos that awaited them in the corridor.

Kohana began to walk toward her chamber and away from the elf lord until suddenly she remembered something.

"Lord Elrond!" she called as she made her run toward his retreating form in the dark.

"Yes child." His shadow glowed in the dark corridor.

Kohana's voice became hushed and grave as she remembered herself.

"I know that you have the gift of foresight." She began with much hesitance.

"And I know that you feel the approaching war of the ring as do I."

Elronds eyes widened at Kohana's bold mention of the future.

"If I have not changed the future with my passing through this world, for good or for evil," Kohana paused to collect her thoughts.

She looked up to Elrond for his reaction. His face was a blank slate so she begrudgingly went on with her request.

"And Middle Earth survives", her voice faltered. "Could I spend the last of my days here under you care?"

A tear slid down her cheek, and Elrond was moved by her sorrow. He gathered her hands in his own and bent down to maintain eye level with the human. He wished to care for her as a father cares for a child.

With a sincere gleam in his eyes the elf lord spoke at last.

"You may dwell in Rivendell all your days, child."

Smiling at the girl's obvious relief he then kissed the top of her head and pushed her chin up with his hand.

"And remain an honored guest in my house."

Kohana was overwhelmed by his kindness. She embraced him and whispered 'thank you'.

As Elrond watched her retreating form leave his presence surrounded by her guard the elf sighed.

'I will miss her greatly.' He admitted to himself.

Lord Elrond then retired for the night.