Yup- it's been a loooooong time. Sorry guys- but I'm a college kid- and things got a little hectic!
Layowen- thanks for the inspiration- I'm using it !
Sooooo- take a seat, relax, and let yourselves enjoy some more of the Kohana saga that is . . .
The Passing
Solitude
Sometimes I think you want me to touch you
How can I when you build the great wall around you
In your eyes I saw the future Together
you just look away
in the distance
China all the way to New York
Maybe you got lost in Mexico
You're right next to me
I think that you can hear me
Funny how the distance
Learns to grow
Tori Amos/ Little Earthquakes/ China
The wondering ranger looked over the fields of green before him. To his back was the darkness of the forest; ahead of him was the lush clearing that announced the border of civilized Mirkwood. A grin reached his face as he heard the elf stir behind him.
"Ahhhh. We have arrived at last."
There was a short pause as the elf and the ranger stood gazing at the road before them
"Come Glorfindel. I am ready to rest my bones." The human said.
Glorfindel strained a grin. His hand reached the cross pendant that was resting in his breast pocket.
Aye. We will be there soon enough.
Days turned numb in Kohana's lonely world. She thought it ironic that out of all the places she had dwelt in Middle Earth- this place she felt the most alone. All she had known of Mirkwood was company with Legolas, lazy afternoons of strolling the palace grounds and silent companionship, and now that she lived in solitude- her eyes had been open.
Legolas had made a statement that particular July evening. He had sent a message to Kohana that rang loud and clear of closure and moving on- he had a kingdom to cultivate and nurture- he couldn't forget his duties. She accepted his actions with bitter acceptance and a belly full of dread at his presence. Avoiding him was her only way of breathing without pain- without the sky falling with terrible fury.
It was almost all bearable.
The distance grew slowly- not a mutual abrupt action, but before the two knew a vast canyon had divided them. Legolas became hard, cold and aloof, while her human demeanor turned sullen and timid.
It seemed the whole Palace felt the abyss swallow the joy that, till then, had been blooming into the mystery of young love. It was the same grief that takes a hold of parents that have lost a child- the pain of youth entwine- the should have been.
Kohana would bear the bunt of the wrath.
The royal court looked at her with mild curiosity, but mostly annoyance; the townspeople in the marketplaces looked at her with untrusting aloofness; and most of all, the royal family treated her with a polite distain.
Legolas no longer visited her chambers for a late night discussion, Amroth tried to visit her as best he could, and (while she still held an honorary seat at the royal table) she was almost completely ignored by the King and his court.
Kohana milled over these thoughts while picking apart the food on her plate. It was once again an evening of sitting on the far corner of royal table while listening to the court as they talked below. Still seated between the two Mirkwood Princes, Kohana stayed silent and only spoke when spoken to. She was not ignorant to the ways of the Sindarin elves any longer and could understand most conversations- that is if they spoke slowly. However, the lack of ready conversation kept her rather rusty when came to speaking the elven language.
Lord Celebrindal observed the girl from across the room. He watched as she starred off into space, not aware of the frequent glances that were aimed in her direction by the elder Prince that sat beside her.
This is not good. He thought.
Lord Celebrindal needed a distraction and he needed one fast. His plans were in full motion, and he needed this girl to sway the attention of a certain Prince.
The Heir was getting a little to nosy.
Prince Legolas had begun regularly questioning Lord Celebrindal's advice concerning relations with neighbooring kingdoms. Every time the lord seemed to have the king drunk in his influence on any given manor, the elder prince seemed to sober his father with reason and too much good judgment.
This maiden was his scapegoat- and he would take any means necessary to ameliorate their little love affair.
The tide had to change eventually- Gollum could hear his master's call.
Lord Celebrindal breathed a sigh.
So could he.
Skipping stones across the garden reverberated down the corridors as Kohana hummed an unnamed tune. Her memory had begun to fade and songs, stories, and names jumbled together into a web of inconsistencies she had not the energy or desire to sort out. After another uneventful dinner and escape from Mirkwood society she hid in the east gardens under the scattered glow of skylights and fireflies.
Fireflies were funny creatures. Kohana had never witnessed the pulsating glow or shallow hum of the bugs until she had reached Mirkwood. One should find them romantic, but Kohana though they only gave energy to her sulking.
Romantic settings seemed worse in love.
Her hands came together to cup one of the creatures, setting her face aglow with the small wonder of a child.
"How is it that humans remain child-like, even when their faces retain the harsh pain of their labors?"
Kohana spun around, startled to look into the elder face of Lord Celebrindal. She was nervous and subconsciously twisted her dress at the waist.
"Lord- I did not see you." She retorted only a little louder than a whisper. There was no need to project, he could hear her.
The elf stretched his high check bones into a wiry grin.
"Come child, you should know the lightness of foot is common in this Palace." His eyes flashed a knowing gaze. "Your humming, however, is not. You are not surprised by my intrusion?"
How Kohana couldn't stand this man! She had heard less than admirable things about him from Legolas, but also considering herself a good judge of character, she didn't like him. It was in his eyes- they asked too much. They demanded too much.
"If you will pardon me, Sire- we have never conversed before this night." She tried to keep her voice steady, but it came out forceful. "I am not sure what your intensions are."
To Kohana's shock- Lord Celebrindal let out a chuckle that filled the garden with a chill.
"Oh dear child, I am sure the Prince has already steered your affections in regards to me to the negative nature." The elf lord begun to walk near her, stopping inches from what would be considered appropriate.
"But that aside, I wish to discuss a subject of sensitive nature."
Kohana continued to glare at him with a stone exterior. Inside she was shaking.
"I will not play ignorance to your true origin, which I do know, quite well, in fact. Truly, you owe me a favor and after I explain the details I am assured you and I will gain a fruitful relationship." The Lord clasped his hands behind his back. "With that said you will follow me to a more secure location."
"I am not going anywhere with you!"
"I think you will change your mind."
"Really?"
Before Kohana could react, The elf lord had one hand over her mouth, the other with a dagger at her throat.
"I knew you would come to reason."
Placing his lips near her ear he breathed his instructions to her.
"You will come with me willingly, or I will drag your dear Prince's limb body to his everlasting grave, do we have an understanding?" He hissed.
She nodded her head reverently. He released her, but kept the dagger at the small of her back as they walked her halls of the Palace, until they reached the intended destination.
As the two made their way down the corridor, the elf lord hear approaching footsteps. Pushing his dagger deeper in her back as a threat, Lord Celebrindal grabbed Kohana's shoulders.
"Remember, I am waiting in the shadows!" He whispered in her ear.
With a swoosh of fabric in the corner of her eyes, she knew he had hid himself in one of the vacant rooms that occupied that particular corridor. At that moment, Legolas appeared around the corner followed by Amroth.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she knew all she had to do was tell the princes what was going on, and Lord Celebrindal would be banished- or dead- by night fall. But what if the evil lord was right? Could she risk Legolas's fate to a bluff?
All the emotions played out on her face, and whether she meant to or not, both Princes new something was wrong. Amroth grabbed her shoulders and deepened his glare of her face.
"Kohana, what has happened?"
She paused in silence first. Her shaken form betrayed her, and turning her head to face the intense stare of Legolas- she was willing to risk everything to keep him safe.
May God have mercy on her soul.
She couldn't lie to Legolas and Amroth, but as faith would have it, she didn't have to. As Kohana begun to spit out coherent sounds with little success at forming a sentence, shouting could be heard from the walls of the Palace. The flags of alarm were raised, and warriors begun to fill the hallways to see what the fuss was about.
Amroth turned his face to meet Legolas's but the older prince was already switching his attention to his men. Legolas tried to maintain eye contact with Kohana, but the commanding officers questions made it an almost impossible task. Amroth shook Kohana's shoulders again, and with sincere remorse sighed.
"Kohana- are you alright?"
She nodded with a strained expression, but her avoidance of eye contact affirmed his hunch that she was lying. He knew he couldn't press the matter further that night, but the look he gave her in return screamed 'we'll talk about this later!'
Kohana was pulled out of her trance by a conversation between Legolas and one of his men.
"Are you sure . . . Glorfindel and Estel?"
Before she could respond, the great doors of the palace were pulled open by their chains, the clanging of the bolts of steel echoing of the stone walls. The voices reverberated and bounced throughout the main hall, but Kohana only saw one other.
As his form became clear in the crowd, the elven grace of his steps halting in her gaze, her eyes rose to meet his.
However they never made it to his fair face, but rather rested on the gilded cross that hung around his neck.
Arwenamin.
Notes:
Arwenamin- My Lady
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I am currently looking for a beta reader! E-mail me if your interested. I am jumping on the Phantom bandwagon- so be on the lookout!
much love,
Queenie