Arwen headed down the corridor to the kitchens. She was going to fetch her father some dinner, and Sam as well. She knew for a fact that the hobbit had stayed by his master's side almost every moment since they had arrived two days before. And she had a suspicion that her father had neglected to eat that day, as well. Someone needed to take the situation in hand.

She smiled a little at the idea of anybody taking her father in hand. Probably the only people who would ever have dared to do so were her own family, particularly her mother and herself. Her mother was in the Undying Lands, so that left Arwen, Elrond's beloved daughter.

As she came around the corner, Arwen saw a figure that stood looking up at a tapestry. It appeared to be a human girl. The girl turned, and Arwen saw her face.

"Katie!" she exclaimed, and strode over to her. "So you are here again! How are you? When did you arrive?" She took Katie's hands in both of hers.

"I came with Legolas, two days ago," Katie answered. "I'm fine; how are you?"

"I am well. I must gather some food for my father and a guest. Come!" She moved to walk on toward the kitchen, and gestured for Katie to accompany her. "All I had heard was that an emissary had arrived from Mirkwood; no more. I have been closeted in my chambers lately and have not yet seen many of the guests. So the emissary is Legolas! And when did you arrive in Middle-earth?"

"March," Katie answered as they reached the kitchen. She helped Arwen load a tray with food. "I was walking back to my room after a class, and bang! I was in Mirkwood. King Thranduil sent me to Rivendell thinking I'd be safer here than there."

"He is probably right," Arwen said thoughtfully.

They finished loading the tray and headed back toward the hobbit's room. Arwen scratched lightly at the door, and Elrond opened it.

"Come in," he said quietly, "Sam has fallen asleep."

Arwen stepped lightly in the room and laid the tray down on the opposite end from Frodo's bed. She turned to see her father greeting Katie.

"Katie Elvellon! Welcome back to Rivendell. Erestor told me you had come."

"Thank you," Katie answered. "I'm glad to be back." She turned and regarded the other occupants of the room.

A hobbit lay in an uneasy sleep on the bed, with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. He was obviously very unwell. Nearby on a stool, another hobbit sat asleep with his chin on his chest. Elrond motioned for them to join him some distance away, so as not to disturb the two sleeping Halflings.

"Should we wake Samwise?" Arwen asked her father.

"No," Elrond decided; "he has had little sleep since they arrived. The food will still taste as good after he awakes."

000

The news came two days later that Frodo had recovered and woken, and that Elrond was to hold a feast in his honor that evening. Legolas was to escort Katie to the feast.

The elves had supplied Katie with clothing, and they gave her a green dress for the occasion. It brought out her eyes marvelously. The fact that it was green also meant that she and Legolas would match. It reminded Katie of prom, and the banquet in A Knight's Tale. She snickered to herself.

Katie had just slipped her shoes on when there was a knock at her door. It was Legolas. He bowed with a big flourish and offered her his arm. "My lady?"

Katie curtsied as elegantly as she could manage and took his arm with a haughty expression. "Good evening, Sir," she said, deepening her voice and putting on an English accent. They walked down the hall looking very stately for a moment, before they both couldn't contain themselves anymore and cracked up laughing.

"You are such a ham!" Katie exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. "I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

"Take me anywhere?" Legolas retorted. "My dear girl, it is I who am escorting you to this feast."

Katie put her nose in the air with a superior expression. "I'm only humoring you."

Legolas chuckled.

000

They were seated a quarter of the way from the end of the main table. Elrond, as was his custom, was on a dais at top end. He had Glorfindel sitting on one side of him and Mithrandir on the other, all looking very dignified and imposing. Arwen sat at the middle of the table under a canopy, and everyone seemed awed at her presence.

Looking around, Katie managed to pick out the people she had recently met: Frodo was up near Elrond, with a white-bearded dwarf on one side of him. Merry, Pippin, and Sam were at the top of a table nearby. And glancing around, Katie was glad she could pick out familiar faces amongst the elves all around the room. There were Lithorniel and Glawar and Húnvel, of course, and Erestor was up at Elrond's end of the table. There were also others that she had known, sitting around Arwen or talking to the guests or serving the food. It was comforting to see so many familiar faces.

The food was, as usual, fantastic. Eventually the feast ended and Elrond and Arwen rose and went down the hall. Legolas and Katie followed them into the Hall of Fire. It soon filled with elves, and the music began. Legolas and Katie sat against one wall and listened.

One of the household servants that Katie recognized came over and asked if either of them had seen Estel.

"I'm afraid not," Katie answered. "Why, are you looking for him?"

"Lord Elrond would like him brought to the Hall," the servant answered. "He wasn't at the feast."

Katie nodded. She had noticed that, and wondered why he didn't sit by Arwen at the table.

It was some time before Katie spotted Estel striding into the Hall. He saw her and paused, then turned and walked over to her.

"Ah, Estel," Legolas said. "Everyone is surprised that you were not at the feast."

Estel's grey eyes twinkled. "Two warriors returned out the Wild unlooked-for, and they had tidings I wished to hear at once."

Katie frowned in puzzlement, and Estel smiled down at her. "Elladan and Elrohir are back."

Katie's eyes lit up and she jumped to her feet. "Where are they?"

"In the kitchens, eating the leftovers from the feast," Estel answered with a laugh.

Katie turned to Legolas with excitement and a request in her eyes. He laughed as well. "Come, let us go to the kitchen," he agreed, rising.

"I must go speak with my friend, Bilbo," Estel said, and excused himself.

000

Legolas couldn't seem to walk fast enough to suit Katie, who was practically jogging down the corridors.

"Come on, hurry up!" she exclaimed, getting ahead of him.

"Katie, wait," he said as they were reaching the doors of the kitchen. "I am sure they do not know you are in Rivendell. Let's give them a surprise!"

A mischievous look sprang into Katie's eyes. "Good idea. What's your plan?"

Elladan and Elrohir looked up as Legolas walked in the door of the kitchen. They were seated at a table, dining on the dishes from the feast.

"Legolas!" Elladan exclaimed, and they both rose from their chairs to greet him. "What brings you to Rivendell?"

"My father sent me with a message for Mithrandir," Legolas said as the three of them took their seats. "And I have news that may interest you, as well."

"Oh? What is that?" Elrohir asked.

"Katie Elvellon returned to Middle-earth in March," Legolas answered gravely. He thought he heard Katie snicker out in the hall, but Elladan and Elrohir, whose hearing wasn't quite so keen, didn't notice.

"She did?" they both exclaimed.

"How is she? Is she here?" Elrohir asked, beaming.

Legolas put on a mournful face. "Unfortunately, no. I have some bad news. She was eaten by a giant spider in Mirkwood."

The twins gave him a confused look. Katie burst into the room, laughing. "I'm right here!" she cried.

Elladan and Elrohir both jumped up with shouts of joy. She hugged Elrohir, then Elladan, then Elrohir again. "I missed you guys!"

"We missed you too, gwathel vuin," Elladan exclaimed, putting his hand on the top of her head in his customary way. "I believe it has not been so many years for you?"

"No, only a little more than a year. But I still missed you!" Katie said, hugging him again.

Legolas stood back and watched this reunion. His heart was warmed by the sight of the obvious joy the three felt in one another's company. The twins were as delighted to see Katie as Katie was to see them.

"Rivendell will be a more beautiful place now that you have returned to it," Elrohir said. "Come, sit! Tell us everything that has happened to you since we saw you last."

TBC

AN: Vuin: beloved

Well, classes have started! My world religions and Arthurian lit classes look to be pretty good, and my stats shouldn't be too bad, but there's a heck of a lot of homework in my ed psych class! The updates won't be quite as frequent now that I'm back in school, but I still hope to keep updating once a week. I thought I'd hurry up and get this chapter finished so I could post it before I went home for the weekend.

Princess Siara: Boromir will appear in the next chapter, I believe.

Darkened Dreams: But if you steal Legolas, you'll screw up the entire history of Middle-earth!

Laer4572: Nope, Legolas wasn't in on the revelation. Which is why he's still kinda puzzled over Katie's new outlook on life.

IwishChan: I've never seen a reviewing llama, I never hope to see one; But I can tell you here and now, I'd rather seen than be one!

Madd Hatter: Ah, yes. Hector, wasn't it? Roomie and I just got a pet rat—a big rubber one! His name is Templeton, and he guards our door.

Doredhiel: Thanks! It's a bit of a pick-me-up to see people's reviews in my inbox! lol

theycallmemary: Of course Húnvel is hot! Aren't all elves? —grins— Remember, Gandalf already knows Katie is in Middle-earth; he saw her in Mirkwood. I know, I can't wait for Lost either! To answer your 10th-walker question, see the AN on chapter 8.

WU QING YING QU DU SHU!: To answer your 10th-walker question, see the AN on chapter 8.

Ravens Destiny: Yeah, we've also got a number of Genevra's in our family…

Thanks also to werewolflemming, Fk306, Tara, ElvenRyder, and Napolde of the Council. Each and every one of you are special and unique.

Please review! It's a great pick-me-up after ed psych homework!