One afternoon in late January, Katie looked up from her book. She could hear raised voices outside. Slipping a market in between the leaves, she set aside her reading and made her way to the door. On the way, she met up with a number of elves, who were all equally curious. They poured out the door en masse and headed for the stable yard.

There were many cries of greeting as the elves recognized their visitors. Katie realized it was a troop of Rangers, all on horseback, led by Halbarad. He dismounted as Elrond came forward to greet him. A happy babble of voices filled the courtyard as Elves and Men greeted their particular friends and exchanged news.

Katie followed Lithorniel, who began making lodging arrangements for their guests. "Halbarad!" she heard Elladan call, and turned to see the twins embracing the Ranger and talking excitedly with him. She followed Lithorniel into the house, where she was soon occupied making beds and showing rangers to their quarters.

Halbarad she had met before, as he and a few others of the rangers had been in Imladris for the Council of Elrond. But there were a good deal more of them now, come riding out of the wilds of Eriador, and she didn't know most of them.

One or two of them looked at her curiously when they saw her, but most hid their surprise and treated her courteously. Katie was thankful. She didn't feel like trying to explain her entire story. Furthermore, she worried they might be suspicious of her if she claimed to be from a country they'd never heard of.

It was a shock, seeing so many Men when she'd been around Elves for so long. Their faces were grim and lined with age; their gear somber and utilitarian. They looked noble, but careworn. After the merry ways of Elves, their timeless faces and their beautiful clothing, the Men seemed strange to her eyes. It was a bit of a switch for her.

She ended up in the kitchen by evening, although she didn't help prepare the food—it wouldn't have been good to give any of their human guests walking pneumonia!

Húnvel found her sitting on a stool, chatting to Lithorniel and another elleth as they fixed dinner.

"Come along!" he said cheerfully. "You must dress for dinner!"

Katie regarded him with surprise. "Dress for dinner?" she repeated.

"Yes. I should like to escort you, if you wish." He paused. "What, did you think to serve?" he added, laughing.

"Go on," Lithorniel added when Katie looked to her for guidance. "Glawar and I will be joining you."

Katie slid wordlessly off her stool as Húnvel gave his mother a kiss, then turned to escort his friend to her room.

000

Dinner was a cheerful affair. Katie had never realized how close the elves of Rivendell really were to the Dúnedain of Eriador. Watching the twins speak animatedly and affectionately with their friends, it did not surprise her that they might forsake Aman for these people. How many generations of the rangers had they ridden out with against the orcs?

A sudden, unarticulated fear gripped her heart. The Rangers had ridden to Rivendell fully armed.

"Katie?" Húnvel said, drawing her attention back.

"Oh. Yes?"

"What was that you were telling me the other day about Legolas's sister?" Engaged once more in conversation, Katie almost forgot her vague anxiety.

000

By the next morning, all of Rivendell knew the Rangers were riding south to seek Aragorn and fight alongside him.

And the twins were to go with them.

Katie heard if first from Glawar. She had been exhausted the night before from the work and the excitement of the dinner, and had slept late. When she awoke, she was unable to find Lithorniel. Instead, she had met up with Glawar in the courtyard and asked him where his wife was.

"She is helping Erestor to organize preparations for the Rangers' departure," Glawar informed her, and explained their mission. "The Men of the North and the sons of Elrond will require some supplies," he added.

"The sons of Elrond?" Katie repeated slowly. "You mean Elladan and Elrohir are leaving with them?"

"Of course," Glawar answered, apparently surprised. "Are you well?" he added, when he saw her expression.

"I'm fine." Katie brushed off his concern. "So they're all gonna go and fight the forces of Mordor at Minas Tirith?"

"Yes." Glawar was still looking at her curiously.

Katie absently nodded her understanding. "Will you excuse me?"

Glawar watched her leave with some concern.

000

Bilbo had been writing all morning, and decided to talk a walk. It was a rather warm and pleasant day—or, as warm and pleasant as a day could get in late Janary—and Bilbo hummed a bit to himself as he strolled out onto one of the promenades along the house, his hands clasped loosely behind his back.

Coming around a corner, he discovered Katie, pacing back and forth, her arms crossed and her face like a thundercloud. He watched her in surprise for a moment before approaching.

"What seems to be the trouble, my girl?" he asked cheerfully.

Katie looked up. "Nothing," she answered.

Bilbo took a low chair. "Of course," he said.

Katie looked over at him, and they stared at one another in silence for a moment.

Turning back to look out over the valley, Katie said sullenly, "Elladan and Elrohir are riding with the Dúnedain."

"Of course they are," Bilbo agreed. "Did you expect them not to?"

"No," Katie admitted defeatedly, pacing over and flopping ungracefully into a chair beside him. "I kinda suspected they would. But just 'cause it isn't unexpected doesn't mean I have to like it."

Bilbo chuckled. "No indeed." After a pause, he asked, "Would you rather they not go?"

Katie looked over at him with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"If the Dúnedain rode in and made their intention to ride to battle known, and the lords Elladan and Elrohir simply waved them on their way—would you like that?"

Katie scratched her nose. "No, I suppose not."

"Why not?"

"Because the Rangers are their friends. They couldn't just sit here while their friends went off into mortal danger." She paused. "It'd be wrong. Disloyal. Dishonorable. And I know they're none of those things."

Bilbo agreed silently.

Katie leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands. "But I still wish they didn't have to go!"

"All who see these times will wish that the situation were other than it is," Bilbo agreed. "But as you yourself might say, we all have purposes to fulfill, in good times and in bad. Sometimes the things we have to do are difficult. The sons of Elrond must go to battle; that is their purpose in this time. And we who love them must wait behind and hope for their return. And that is our purpose."

Katie looked at him lovingly. "You miss Frodo, don't you?" she asked softly. "And the others."

Bilbo nodded, but added cheerfully, "But they will be able to add marvelously to the story when they return! I shall write it up, as much as I can. Speaking of stories, I must return to mine." He hopped up—spryly, for a hobbit of his age. "Come along now, Estel-oneth!"

000

Katie didn't see the twins all the rest of the day, which suited her just fine. She felt she needed to work some things out first.

Despite her talk with Bilbo, she still hated the idea that the twins were riding off to danger and battle. She hadn't allowed herself to think about this so much when Legolas and Estel had left with the Ringbearer, but this was a war they were going to fight. There was an excellent chance that one of her friends might not emerge alive from it—or even that one might be killed in battle and never identified among the dead, and would simply never return.

How could the elves stand it? How could Arwen stand it? The man she loved so desperately was going off to fight against apparently insurmountable odds. He might never come back.

And when the twins rode off in a week or two—they might never return, either.

To take her mind off of the turmoil in her heart, she curled up before bed that evening with her book of poetry. She flipped it open randomly, and her eyes lit upon a poem by Richard Lovelace: "To Lucasta, On Going to the Wars".

For a moment, she almost turned the page, but then something prompted her to read on.

Tell me not, Sweet, I am unkind
That from the nunnery
Of thy chaste breast, and quiet mind,
To war and arms I fly.

True, a new mistress now I chase,
The first foe in the field;
And with a stronger faith embrace
A sword, a horse, a shield.

Yet this inconstancy is such
As you too shall adore;
I could not love thee, Dear, so much,
Loved I not honour more.

Katie stared blankly at the page for a moment, then shut the book resolutely and climbed into bed. She would be honorable, too. She would see them off to war, and pray for their safe return. She could do no less. This was her purpose here and now.

In the darkness, she whispered, "They also serve who only stand and wait."

TBC

AN: Well, it's not exactly action, but it's something more than them sitting around and talking! Well, sort of... Things are actually happening and the plot is developing! I hope that counts... Well, it's not exactly , but it's something more than them sitting around and talking! Well, sort of... Things are actually happening and the plot is developing! I hope that counts...

The last quote comes from John Milton: "On His Blindness". An excellent poem, BTW.

I know, I rely on a lot of poetry for effect. Do you guys like it as a device, or do you find it irritating? I'd be curious to know.

IwishChan: It really only got cold for us this morning. Brrr…

Laer4572: Ashleyday should be a day inserted between Sunday and Monday, sort of a second Saturday. Unfortunately, I cannot celebrate it, as the rest of the world discourteously refuses to change their calendars to fit my whims.

Darkened Dreams: I hate seasonal allergies! And they're worse today, because my nose got so cold this morning…

lds-sunshinegrl: I suppose it did seem shorter. But really, all of my chapters are the same length! I make them at least a full three pages long; that's my minimum.

FallenTruth: Kewpie dolls were really popular like, fifty years ago or something, and they used to be used as prizes at carnivals, hence the saying, "Close, but no kewpie!" I've only ever seen one on Antiques Roadshow. It doesn't make you stupid, it makes you normal! lol I don't know many people who actually know what a kewpie is. The differences between British English and American English are so fascinating! Yes, I have one more sequel to do, and after that I might put out a couple of deleted scenes. I must've updated by the time you reviewed, because there are some chapter 17 reviews before your chapter 16. FF dot net just doesn't always show updates right away.

Tara: Actually, I'm neither a big fan of ice cream nor a big fan of chocolate. I know, that makes me a total freak. :) I'd much prefer a strawberry-banana Italian ice.

The Reviewing Llama: Yes, I'm quite low on ideas! But it will indeed be a long sequel. I just hope I can manage to get enough material to cover the timespan I want to cross! If left untreated (as Katie's was), walking pneumonia can persist for a month or more. In other words, she should be just about over it by now.

Princess Siara: I'm not sure how much interaction Katie will be having with individual rangers. Oh, you never know… I might!

Alateriel567: You're very right, I hit a rut. Thank you for pointing it out! Back into a little more plot development now! Can't guarantee much actual action, as Katie's real purpose here this time is just to see history unfolding. But I'll try and come up with something. :)

Erasuithiel: Sam says something like that in one of the discarded epilogues—that Elves are sad, and that is part of what makes them Elves. If it's any comfort to you, I can tell you that I hate sad endings…

Saltwater: That movie night sounds like fun! My friend Dee and I adore movie nights and Disney. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites, as is The Lion King. Trust me, if I had written all of this story already, I probably would be too excited to post it one chapter at a time!

theycallmemary: Yes, Elves that choose mortality are still long-lived, so the only real difference is whether or not they're allowed to go to Aman, and what happens to their spirits when they die. Arwen only died early because she died of grief. And I think I understood that all human spirits make a quick pit-stop of sorts in Mandos before they leave, although I could be mistaken… Romance? —looks around innocently— Where?

Thanks also to Fk306, ElvenRyder and Ravens Destiny!

Each and every one of you is an intelligent, kind,and discerning individual, capable of taking pity on a poor fanfiction writer and telling her what you think! Fulfill your entire potential! Please Review!