KPOV:

As I was heading down the corridor Gandalf appeared around the corner. I had forgotten to say good bye, how rude of me. I'm going to miss Gandalf. He is always coming or going, never staying.

"The night is still young Kaydriella, you should enjoy it"

"I have enjoyed much of it, but now I must retire back to my room. I have an important day tomorrow"

"I see. Well I thought you might like to say good bye before I leave"

"You're leaving? So soon"

"Yes my dear, I came for you but now I must go. There are many things I must see to"

"I know. I'm going miss you Mithrandir, as I always do"

"Do not fret. I'll be back before you know it"

"Maybe you could take me on one of your adventures someday"

"That I will do. Before I go, I also wanted to give you this. It is not a gift from me, more so a gift from your mother. She gave it to me for safe keeping, I'm just returning it to you now"

There was no wrapping, just a beautiful necklace with a beautiful white gem in the middle.

"Gandalf, how did you get this?"

"Like I said, your mother gave it to me for safe keeping. She eventually wanted to pass it down to you so I am just merely fulfilling her wishes"

"This was my mothers?"

"Yes. A very valuable item that is. The white gem is of a rare quality. Those gems originate from Erebor-"

"-The lonely mountain."

"Precisely so take good care of it"

"I will, I promise"

Our eyes meet one last time. I embrace him, as I would do with any old friend of mine and then I watched him. I watched his image slowly grow smaller and smaller until I couldn't see him anymore. Gandalf had departed Rivendell.

The Next Morning-

OH NO! I'm late I'm so so late… the master swordsman is going to kill me.

I roll right out of bed and run towards my trunk. I quickly rummage through my trunk and find a clean shirt with a matching tunic underneath it. I out it on then add some leggings that are too long for me to wear and just shove them on. Lastly I look for my boots to put over the extra long leggings. Next thing I know, I am running out of my room and heading straight for the training fields. It was until I was half way there that I remembered that I left my new short swords in my room.

Great going Kay. You make it half way there and now you need to go all the way back to your room just because you left the swords under your bed. Why must I be such a fool?

I turn right around and begin to run back to my room. I grab the swords and decide to take a detour for lost time. Instead of using the halls like any normal being would do, I go to my balcony and brace myself. I open the balcony doors wide and begin to back up. I sprint towards the ledge and then jump right off into the tree facing opposite my room. I then begin to use the trees and jump from on to another. I run on their branches and try to keep my balence. I must say, if I wasn't in such a hurry, this would be quite entertaining. Then before I know it I make it to the bottom of the training fields where I see an displeased sword master.

I jump down from the tree and brush off all of the twigs and leaves. I walk up the hill with a great urgency until I reach the top where the master was standing.

"Are you the elf I am observing?"

He seemed shocked that I was a female. I guess he was expecting a male elf instead.

"Yes, my lord"

I add a bow to be even more courteous

"You do realize you are late, do you not?"

"I do. I deeply apologize for the inconvenience"

"No matter. You already show qualities of an unworthy pupil so you are dismissed."

No this cannot be

"I beg your pardon sir but please if you just-"

"-Speaking out of turn is no way to impress a master nor is showing up late because we took tumble lessons in trees"

The master swordsman walks over to me and pulls a leaf out of my hair.

"I have seen all I need to see. You may go"

I was not going to just leave. I've been training so hard for this. He was going to see what I can do.

"Please sword master, I beg you let me show you what I can do I have worked extremely hard for this"

"Fine. You have five minutes to impress me. After which, you will be silent on the matter"

"Agreed"

"Well then, let us begin"

The sword master unsheathes his short swords and looks at me in the eye. When ever dueling you should always look your opponent in the eye. It is the proper way.

Within the first few moments, I see his is excellent, not just excellent, a master. The way he moves is elegant and poised, but at the same time, harsh and deadly. I was defending most of the time until he said how I only had a minute left. I went on the offensive. He would never teach me if all he saw was my defensive side. I began to move like he did in the beginning. I imitate his forms and even though he was bigger than me, I was able to land a few hits on him. In the last moment our blades interlocked and it was a strength battle. He was taller so he was able to push down harder but I knew exactly what to do. I quickly gave into his power but dodged the blades coming down by stepping around him. He then was off balance from the power it took him to bring my blades down so I then slide a foot under his feet and pushed him to his knees. I then had one blade at his throat and the other at his back.

"Enough!"

He shouted and I released my grip. I put my swords back into their sheaths and waited his report

"I was wrong. Your skill is great indeed but hardly enough to be trained for a master's position"

I looked down. I truly gave it my all and if he thinks I was not good enough, he must be right.

"however, I have longed wished for an elleth to take my position as master. My heart longs for the grey lands across the see and so I must take an apprentice on. If you are willing to learn, then I am willing to teach"

"Absolutely my lord"

Then we shall meet everyday for half a day of training starting tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of this day. You wont have another one like it"

The master began to walk away but I remembered I never got his name

"I beg your pardon my lord, but I never got your name"

"My name is Arthion"

"Good day, Master Arthion"

We both bow and leave in opposite directions. I wanted to tell Elladan and Elrohir the good news but they were no where in sight. That is odd because they normally would be on the training fields waiting for me. Suddenly I hear two people behind me and I turn to see it is both Elladan and Elrohir. I think they were more excited than I was about getting the apprenticeship

"Oh we thought you might never start attacking"

"Where you guys there the entire time?"

"Yes."

"Guys!"

"We wanted to be here in case, you know"

"In case things did not go according to plan"

"But they did"

"So we are still happy we came!"

They were finishing each others sentences. It always makes me smile.

"He is strict. I was afraid he wasn't going to let you fight him"

"Just imagine, all our hard work, for nothing. That would have been a huge disappointment"

"All your hard work? I recall me pushing you out of your beds to train"

"It was a group effort"

I laughed. It really was a group effort.

"So, time to practice Kaydriella. From what we heard, you wont get to practice with us again for a while"

We practice for a few hours until Lord Elrond comes and watches, that is when I try my very best. I want him to see how much I can do and my strength. Maybe one day, after I become master, I might be able to train my own student.

As we finish up our spar Elladan cuts my arm with his sword and oh does it burn. I can feel the blood dripping down my arm but I do not care. I will lay a hit on him if it is the last thing I do. He goes for my other arm but this time, I am ready. I quickly dodge to the right and knock him off blaence with my elbow hitting into his shoulder. I then turn and grab his left arm and twist it until he swings his right arm at me.

That is exactly what I wanted you to do.

I dodge the swing and knock him to the floor. I hold him there with my sword at his neck, and just stare with the most menacing grin.

Within seconds we are both laughing and tumbling down the hill. Once we hit the bottom we just lie there, reflecting on how childish we just were a few moment s ago. Ughh the tumble didn't damage my back but my arm still burned from the cut. I, however, felt no urgency to get up so I just laid there with Elladan.

"Elladan, I say we can tally this as a draw"

"Oh no Kay, this counts as a win for you. Even if you did let your guard down"

"Well it is very hard for me not to laugh when I have you pinned down. You are supposed to not let you opponent do that"

"Well you should be able to pin me down, after all you are now an apprentice to one of the greatest sword masters"

"Still, you and Elrohir will always be my mentors"

Suddenly Lord Elrond appears

"Well I would say that you two did enough damage for one day. Do you not think so? Come, now that you have acted like children and tumbled all the way down here, make yourselves useful and help clear out the stables"

"But Lord Elrond, we are nowhere near the stables. In fact, we are perhaps the farthest from them"

"Exactly"

He walks away with the most childish of laughs.

We then spend the rest of our morning mucking out the stables. I never mind doing some dirty work, but Elladan did. I do not recall a single moment when he was not complaining about this manual labor. It did smell so in light of what has happened so far to day, I believe this to be a successful day

Mental checklist

1.Go to training (check)

2.Win the favor of the sword master (check)

3.Have a little bit of fun (double check)

I see the suns shadow cast up at high noon and I know exactly what that means

LUNCH TIME!

I run up back towards the Homely House and head straight for the dining hall. My stomach was calling for some food since I over slept and missed breakfast. I get to the outside of the dining room and glace at my reflection through the tall glass.

I look pretty decent. Nothing too offending, after all it is just lunch.

I walk in and am about to head for the food when I see Lord Elrond with a new elf I have never seen before. Who is he?

Before I could even try to figure out who this mystery elf is, he stares directly at me. It is so strange for I have only been in the room for mere seconds and he notices me. Lord Elrond walks over my way with his dagger staring Mellon right behind him.

"Kay, what wonderful timing, I would like you to meet a very good Mellon of mine"

Authors Notes:

Here is to another revised chapter. Call me butter... because I'm on a roll! R&R please don't be a stranger!