| Chapter One: From up close, as well as far off to be truthful, Kahelumien was indeed quite lovely. She had long blond hair that fell to the middle of her back before becoming wavy and she had the large eyes of a doe. At the moment she even had the fearful gaze a doe carried when they were in the way of a carriage intent on plowing them down. Elenuviel was about to be betrothed. Again. Elrond Halfelven, the Elven lord of Rivendell and caretaker to both her and her sister Elenuviel, had chosen yet another elf for her to marry and Elenuviel was getting that strange look in her eye again. The ‘One more notch on the Bedpost’ look that Kahl hated with all her eternally damned soul. She had been summoned immediately after her delightfully exhausting encounter with the hobbits on the balcony and upon entering one of Elrond’s many halls, she had noticed that Arwen had returned. Standing beside her was her husband, Elessar. Also known as Aragorn, son of Arathorn. He was a cute one, Kahl reflected, for a Man. Elenuviel was also there, looking the slightest bit smug, her arms crossed over her chest. “Can we not have a horrible accident with this one?” Elrond was in the middle of saying to Elenuviel, from where he sat upon a high seat. “He is actually a fine elf and I would rather you be settled before I pass into the Undying Lands so that I may enjoy at least some of my remaining time here.” His tone was bored, as if this was not the first time they had held such a conversation, and Kahl knew immudiadely then what they spoke of. Elenuviel’s face was haughty, standing before Elrond and off to the side of Arwen and Aragorn. “You make it seem as if I caused all those accidents,” she said to him darkly. Arwen was looking at her father sympathetically, Aragorn beside her glancing about with the kind of expression that tried to hide the fact that he was searching for the nearest doorway out. Kahl slowly came closer and she smiled at Arwen as the elf noticed her. “Kahelumien. You’re looking quite lovely,” she said in that soft voice of hers. Kahl had half a mind to tell her to speak up but it would have been downright rude. Instead she mouthed a thank you but her sister and Elrond had finally taken notice of her. “Ah, Kahelumien, I was just saying to Elenuviel that I have found someone for her to marry,” Elrond said to his other ward and he motioned her closer. “Yet another, then?” Kahl said innocently. She glared at her sister as she came to stand beside her and Elenuviel, flashing her a ‘One word and I’ll eat you’ look, stood silent. “Who is it this time?” “Absolutely no one of any importance,” Elenuviel answered for Elrond. “A visiting elf from Mirkwood.” Her jaw clenched and she practically rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Kahl promptly blanched, eyes widening with that ‘Look out, a carriage!’ doe expression. “M…Mirkwood?” she asked faintly. Elenuviel snapped her head back to look at her. “Yes, Mirkwood! And when have you been one to stutter?” she snarled cattily. She whirled to face Elrond once more. “I shan’t have it! He holds no title and even if he is an elf, I have yet to lay eyes on him! I wish for someone I have at least seen!” she cried. Kahl immediately exhaled in relief. That, no doubt, ruled out Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood. She stood innocently now, seemingly interested more than she could possibly ever actually be. “If I am to marry him then at the very least set up an occasion for me to meet with him!” Elenuviel said snootily and without another word she whirled and stormed from the hall, the doors closing silently behind her. Kahelumien stared off after her. “I should be quite happy to give her a good beating if you wish it,” she said to Elrond. Elrond smiled to show he appreciated her humor but he seemed weary as well. “She did not give me the chance to say that her supposed betrothed does indeed carry a title. Now I think it best to change my mind about the candidate…” Kahl’s heart fell once more into the pit of her stomach. “Who was it?” she asked. Aragorn spoke then, straightening. “His name is Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood and son to Thranduil, King of Mirkwood.” He shrugged, looking at Arwen at his side. “I thought him to be quite a good choice but it would seem she did not agree.” Kahl swallowed to hide her panic. “No, not a good choice at all. What if she does not fancy him? One more elven head on her wall and we can’t have that-“ “Kahelumien!” Arwen said in disbelief although a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “It is true, though I loathe to say it…” Elrond said with a simple sigh. “It would be a most dreaded loss for all elves should Elenuviel not take to Legolas.” Which was what Kahl feared. Upon seeing the smile on Legolas’ face, how could one not take to the elf? She knew Elenuviel would be drawn to him like mud to a hog but Elenuviel quickly tired of many things. Half the time Kahl told her she should just set sail for the Undying Lands before all the elven men were done away with. She had even packed her bags for her on one occasion, as a joke, and never in her life had she encountered a banshee, but that day she had. Elenuviel had screamed the Last Homely House down, and all the elves had fled for fear that a Ringwraith had somehow entered Rivendell. It had taken much of Aragorn’s army to coax the elves back to Rivendell and even after all the time that had passed, many elven males avoided the Last Homely House. “Whatever the case,” Elrond said after a silent moment, “I will find yet another to her liking.” And he looked at Kahl with a small knowing smile. “Perhaps my dearest Kahl would prefer the Prince of Mirkwood?” Kahl let out a shriek, hopping up and down and screaming and running about the hall with her arms flung out happily…all in her mind. Outwardly she merely shrugged and asked, “Does he appreciate Rivendell?” she asked. She really couldn’t have cared less if he did so long as he always smiled. “I suppose,” Elrond shrugged and he lifted his hand to his chin, resting his head upon it. Vilya rested upon his finger and Kahl gazed at it, wondering how it would look on her hand. She quickly shoved the thought aside, remembering the fateful day she had thought herself incredibly clever for sneaking into Elrond’s quarters as he rested in the world of dreams and trying to take the blasted ring off his finger. He had sent her to Lothlorien for Galadriel to deal with her. Galadriel had made her look into her magic mirror of water at all the different ways Elrond could possibly punish her and so, upon her return to Rivendell she had apologized mutely for being a pain in the rump. Elrond had understandably taken her in once more but had clearly kept her far away from Vilya since. Kahl did not have the heart to tell him that she had also tried to take Nenya from Galadriel but Galadriel was a quick one for such an old bag and so she had returned empty-handed. Lucky for Frodo Baggins she had been at Lothlorien when he had arrived at Rivendell and when he had arrived at Lothlorien she had been back at Rivendell for a day. She had missed him entirely and, with him, the One Ring. It would have looked very pretty, gleaming around her thumb. Now the chance was gone forever for the Ring had been cast into the Fires of Mount Doom. What a waste. “Whatever the case, that was why I called you, Kahelumien,” Elrond went on. “That and to tell you that my darling Evenstar has returned for the time being.” Kahl nodded. “Very well then. Welcome back to Rivendell, Arwen. Aragorn, son of Arathorn.” She smiled at them both. “If I may be excused I must meet with those delightful hobbits for lunch.” “Hobbits?” Aragorn asked, cocking his head. “Yes, Merry and Pippin were their names. I fear I have left them for far too long.” And she turned to leave the hall. “Kahelumien-“ Aragorn called after her. As she turned to look at him questioningly he said, “The hobbits…are rather mischievous,” as if trying to find the best word to describe them without saying ‘Idiots’. Beside him Arwen was nodding solemnly. Kahl smiled again. “I understand,” she said. And she looked at Elrond once more. “Which reminds me, one of the windows in my room is broken and I have no idea how that came to be.” And without another word, but quite aware of the hopeless sigh Elrond let out, she left the hall to meet with Merry and Pippin. |
| All images and works done/altered by ShiNoFuriko and TasogareBan. Please do not steal and always give credit to where it is due. |