Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or Lord of the Rings, unfortunately.

Rating: PG-13 for some later violence

"So, tell me, do you have a man at home?" Arwen asked, both her and Ziva lying on their backs in the grass by the waterfall, the slight spray of water misting them. Elladin and Elrohir had left about two weeks ago to go combat the orcs, and neither Ziva nor Arwen were happy to be left behind, and now they were bored.

"Please, Arwen, I do not feel comfortable talking about this," Ziva responded, not turning her head from the blue sky above her.

Arwen rolled on her side, propping her head up with her hand as she looked at Ziva. "So there is someone! I knew it!"

"Arwen, if you stop pestering me about this, I will not ask you any embarrassing questions about Aragorn."

"That's no threat. Come on, details. Is it that one guy you talk about sometimes, Antony?"

"Tony. And no. Of course not. Tony is my partner, nothing more."

Ziva was saved from any more probing questions when the clip clop of hooves reached their ears and both looked up behind them to see Asfaloth walking towards them over the grass.

"Asfaloth! What are you doing?" Arwen said, sitting up and looking at her horse. He looked at her, snorted, then dropped his head and began grazing, he tail swishing lazily behind him.

"Guess he got out," Ziva said, also sitting up to look at her project from the past couple of weeks. It had taken her a couple of days, but she had finally started to remember the riding lessons that she had taken as a young girl. She had improved dramatically over the past week, increasing her riding speed to a controlled gallop. She now grinned at him and fished into the pouch attached at her waist.

She had refused to let Arwen force her into dresses for everyday affair, though she gladly wore the elaborate gowns at the couple of banquets that had been held that demanded fancy dress. She had to admit, the dresses were nice, and she and Arwen were about the same size so it was easy to acquire them. She was currently in a pair of breeches and a loose fitting top with soft leather knee high boots around her feet.

"Hey Asfaloth, do you want a treat?" she said, holding out her hand that contained some lembas bread. She had learned pretty quickly that these were his weak spot. He picked up his head, looked at Ziva's hand, and then whuffed through his nostrils. Deciding that the treat looked good, he gave a soft nicker and walked towards her, daintily taking the bread with his lips, and nuzzling Ziva's hair with his nose as he chewed. She felt her hair, neatly pulled into intricate braids by Arwen, begin to come loose as he played with the long strands.

"You're spoiling that horse rotten you know," Arwen grumbled, trying to hold back a smile as her friend played with her horse. Asfaloth then proceeded to lip Ziva's nose in a wet kiss. "Hey! Whose horse are you anyway?" she exclaimed as Ziva gave a very un-Ziva-like giggle.

Ziva stood up, grasping onto Asfoloth's mane. "Come on, buddy, better get you back home."

"What happened to the woman who was afraid of the big bad stallion a few weeks ago," Arwen said, standing up as well and brushing off the grass from her dress.

Ziva patted his thick muscular neck. "I do not know. He just sort of grows on you, yes?"

Arwen laughed her bird-like trill. "Yes."

The cry of an eagle echoed through the valley as one of the huge mountain eagles swept in, his huge wings casting the small group into shadow for a moment.

"What is that?" Ziva asked, following the large bird as it settled down by what looked to be Lord Elrond's house. She squinted, trying to see what was on it's back when Arwen started off at a run towards it, pulling up the skirt of her dress so as not to trip on it. "Arwen!"

"It's Gandalf. You put Asfaloth away and meet me there!" she called over her shoulder.

The stallion walked quietly beside her as she walked towards the stable, keeping her hand on his neck. She was dying to meet this Gandalf that she had heard so much about and learn why he had arrived in such a dramatic manner. Before she knew it, she was back at the stables and was leading Asfaloth towards one of the spacious pastures. She untied the gate, slapping him softly on the rump, sending him in. "I will see you later."

He turned to look at her as she retied the gate, shook his head again and trotted over towards his buddies in the far corner.

Ziva quickly jogged up the path, slowing down to carefully walk over the narrow bridge, then picked up a jog again up to the stairs by Lord Elrond's house. She took the stairs two at a time, and warily watched the eagle as he watched her when she ran by. She stopped outside the door to Elrond's study, smoothing out her shirt and brushing off the stray grass on her breeches. She also tried to smooth her hair into place before knocking.

"Enter." Lord Elrond's deep voice sounded through the thick door, and she reached her hand out to the doorknob, turning it and pushing it in. She walked in and turned to the left, spotting Elrond, Arwen, and a tall old grey haired and bearded man. He had thick bushy eyebrows currently close together in worry and a good-sized gash was above the left one.

"Ah, Ziva. I figured you would follow Arwen. What took you so long? Never mind, Gandalf this is Ziva David. She has been a guest with us here for a few months. Ziva, this is Gandalf," Elrond said, his brows also knotted with worry, his fingers tapping against his desk.

"Very nice to meet you," Gandalf said, and Ziva inclined her head slightly, a habit she had picked up in the past couple of months.

"And it is very nice to meet you as well. May I ask what is going on?"

That seemed to push Arwen over the edge as she looked over towards her and her father, and a conversation that she seemed to have interrupted began again.

"Let me go find them, ada."

"Arwen, I already said no. It is too dangerous."

"I am the fastest rider in Imladris! I can find them before they do!"

Elrond refused to look his daughter in the eye as he looked out of his window and into the distance.

"Ada!" Arwen's voice seemed to jerk him out of his thoughts as he turned to look at her. "Please."

Elrond looked at his daughter and sighed. "Very well. But I do not want you to get hurt. Take Hadafang, and ride swiftly. Find the hobbit as quickly as you can. Time is of the essence."

"Thank you!" Arwen said, throwing her arms around her father, then letting go and walking towards Ziva and the door. She stopped by Ziva, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I will see you soon. Do not worry."

She ran past her and out the door. Ziva turned an even more confused look at the wizard and elf still in the room.

"Ziva, sit. I will explain everything," Elrond said, pointing to the high backed chair by his desk as Gandalf sank into the one next to it.

A/N: I apologize for some of my readers who wanted to see Ziva fighting in this scene. I had already had this written, and I kept juggling back and forth between having Ziva and Arwen go fight the orcs, but I decided to keep with this storyline to catch up to Lord of the Rings. There will be enough of Ziva fighting with orcs soon, do not worry. Please review and let me know what you think
Lady Ryn