| Chapter Two: When Kahl finally arrived to pick up the hobbits they looked as if they had been starving for hours. Which she supposed was true since Merry had not eaten at all yet. However Merry played with a dead fish and so she did not feel much pity for the strange halfling. As she approached them where they sat in the hallway outside their room she noticed that, although it should have been obvious, they were indeed shorter than her. And they were quite adorable, with heads of curly hair and childish faces. “There you are! My entire life passed before my eyes!” Merry cried as she came to stand before them. “And what has it taught you?” she asked as they rose to their feet. She eyed the dead fish in his hand with a wrinkled nose and distasteful expression. “It teaches me,” answered Pippin instead, “that we hobbits need more meal times! And that we should keep to the schedule of mealtimes because, quite frankly, I’m famished!” He straightened to his full height beside her and still he did not reach her breast. “Also, we have some news concerning Legolas if you wish to hear it…” Kahl nodded and she motioned for them to follow her. “Well, I just had a small talk with Lord Elrond and he gave me a bit of disturbing news himself,” she said. “Our mealtimes have been downsized to three a day?” asked Pippin looking positively horrified. Kahl spared him a sardonic glare. “Yes, dear hobbit. Now you will starve for your remaining days on Middle Earth…” “But…that’s so cruel…” “No, damn it!” she said crossly. “It appears my dearest sister of the Maniacal Brush is betrothed to my beloved Legolas,” she explained. “I haven’t the faintest idea what to do and quite frankly I’m afraid of even coming to you for aid…” and she eyed Merry as he swung the fish once more. Pippin shrugged. “Well, that problem is easily amended.,” he said. “Is it? And how, pray tell, so?” Merry nodded beside Pippin. “We quite simply do away with her,” he said, allowing the fish to hang at his side. Kahl slowed. “Do away with her?” The hobbits nodded as one, first to each other and then to her. “First,” said Pippin, “We kidnap her.” Kahl’s eyes widened. Merry followed. “We do away with her in some characteristic, non-bloody way-“ “We stuff her in a pouch. One large enough to hold her slight frame, of course…” “And we toss her off Moonlit Falls!” Merry finished happily. And then he looked thoughtful. “Although we wouldn’t want her body floating to the surface so we should also stuff the pouch with large rocks…” Pippin glanced at the elven maiden who stood paler than usual with not an ounce of color in her cheeks. “We are fooling with you, of course…” “Well don’t! I beg of you!” she cried. “I may have some hardships with my sister, a few squabbles, but not enough to send her to her death over Moonlit Falls!” At that moment, as they rounded the hallway, there came her sister, looking as lovely as ever, and with a scornful look on her face. She eyed the hobbits distastefully and then her even more so. “Kahelumien, I do so love what you have done to your hair. I did not know you cared so much for the environment…” Kahl frowned. “I beg your pardon?” she asked. “The bird nest…” Elenuviel motioned thoughtlessly. “Upon your head. Do you need some bird feed or do you have quite enough?” Kahl’s face slowly darkened and the smile she flashed was pure black malice. “Indeed…” she murmured as she passed by her sister. Behind her trailed the hobbits looking as much out of place as hobbits could in an elven village. With a cheerful smirk Elenuviel continued on. Pippin caught up to Kahl and looked at her closely. “Kahl?” “Moonlit Falls, you say?” she asked innocently. “Large rocks?” Kahl had chosen a wonderfully quiet place to speak concerning the Trapping of Legolas Greenleaf as she had so mildly put it. She also named it The Elven Love Snare, to which Merry had promptly choked on his lunch, Pippin shooting ale from his nose. She thought the name quite delightful even as the hobbits had rolled across the floor merrily with hoots of laughter. Whatever the case, off she led them, leaving the confines of Elrond’s home and wandering about Rivendell. In no time at all they had walked deep into the heart of the elven refuge, walking a long path littered on all sides with red and gold trees. The Autumn Path it was named, for all around Autumn was in her prime. Merry had explained along the way some things he had heard concerning Legolas, only naming his informant as “Our Friends”. “Well, this is quite lovely,” he was saying as they stepped out of the trees bordering the Autumn Path and into a clearing. They had stumbled across a waterfall, hidden deep inside Rivendell by brush and trees of all types and colors. The water fell, cascading loudly but peacefully. “I thought you entirely tasteless, my friend, but this is indeed spectacular…” Kahl was already glaring at him. “A swim after lunch…I would think not…” Pippin was murmuring, patting his belly. “No swim,” Kahl said and she hiked up the hem of her skirt and stepped up onto a sturdy stone, bordering the deep pool at the foot of the waterfall. “We reach the top of Moonlit Falls and there we will talk, for not many go there.” Pippin followed with a frown. “Why not?” he asked. Kahl hesitated, a sly smile curling her lips although she did not show it to the hobbits. “Because of the Displacer Beast, of course…” she replied. “There’s one roaming loose in the forest surrounding the stream above.” And she led them without another word. At the top of Moonlit Falls they sat and made themselves comfortable along the banks of the stream that fell into the waterfall. Merry and Pippin cast fearful glances into the surrounding forest as Kahl cheerfully hummed nonsense to herself. There was a maiden, by the name of Elen, Whose hair was gold and spun of the sun, She skipped and hopped, And giggled and flopped, And thought that life was all just fun. Then I came along, heart full of song, My voice gentle and of softness rich. She sobbed and cried, But I did not mind, For not long after I made her my- “Erm, about the Trapping Scheme…” Pippin cut her off quickly, still looking about in fright. “Perhaps we can discuss it quickly so as not to linger where we are not wanted?” Kahl threw him a bored look. “Really, Pippin, tell me you did not believe my words concerning the Displacer Beast.” “You mean…there is no Displacer Beast?” he asked with wide eyes. “Of course not,” she laughed. “I’m sorry if I frightened you but really, the two of you had it coming, taunting me about my Love Snare…” She cast him a sly look. Pippin smiled ruefully at her as Merry suddenly jumped to his feet. “I will go into the forest and hunt down the beast for you, Pip!” he said and he flexed some hobbit muscle, grunting. “Oh, that will just scare it away,” Kahl sighed demurely. “Never fear, Pippin, I will return shortly.” And off Merry went even as Pippin called after him not to. Kahl merely watched him go, a bored look upon her face. “This will just drag out our scheming,” she said and she lay down cheerfully, smiling up at the sun. A half hour had passed and still Merry had not returned. Kahl found herself wishing she had sunbathed, the fool hobbit was gone so long. She rolled about uselessly, looking for a comfortable spot, Pippin casting worried glances into the forest. “Can not you and I discuss the scheme?” asked Kahl impatiently. “Surely when Meriadoc returns he’ll jump happily into the plan…” “Oh, no,” said Pippin absentmindedly. “He is the one who usually comes up with the plans. I’m merely a listener.” He frowned at the surrounding forest and then toward the cliff edge. Kahl stared at him in bored concentration. “Have you nothing to offer, then?” Pippin snapped his head to glare at her, hurt. “Hey there. Just because I don’t get into trouble as often as Merry, that doesn’t mean I’m such a sweet hobbit. Why, I’ll have you know, I’ve done tons of mischievous things by myself.” He puffed up his chest with a nod. Kahl smiled a bit darkly. “Have you now? Tons?” she asked. And at another nod from the hobbit, “Name four.” Pippin paused, looking suddenly flustered. “Four?” he asked faintly. “All right. Four. I’ve…stolen some fireworks from Gandalf!” he cried, sounding far too triumphant. She arched a brow. His face took on the hurt expression once more. “Well, it was quite a blood-racing thrill! I mean, Gandalf! Gandalf the White!” A frown suddenly crossed Kahl’s face as Pippin continued but her eyes were focused on the forest. Something moved there, low and stealthily. She ignored the hobbit as he hurried on with his excuses, staring with narrowed eyes into the wooded area. “Farmer Maggot’s vegetables! Why, he hated us!” There was a flash of black there and Kahl sat up in one fluid movement, straining to see. Something shifted, long coils floating out and about the creature, and there was a flash of obsidian black. An eye. A feline eye. Kahl’s eyes widened as she gasped inwardly, her figure stiffening. “And the time in the Prancing Pony! We were running low on money and Merry didn’t want to but you know me well enough by now! A hobbit has to eat! So I convinced Merry to do the strip show. The ladies loved him, especially the dwarves, but dwarven women also have beards so for all I knew they were dwarven men-“ “Pippin!” Kahl cried and she reached out, taking hold of his collar and yanking him. “Remember the Displacer Beast I warned you of earlier?” He nodded, silent now, and in the other direction of the forest flashed another piece of black. Kahl swallowed, staring wide-eyed. “There’s two of them…” she whispered. Pippin’s eyes bulged. “What?!” The hobbit whirled as they both rose to their feet and from the forest came a low feline growl. Kahl whimpered, backing away a bit and quickly glancing over her shoulder. Moonlit Falls raged loudly only five feet away and with two Displacer Beasts guarding either side of the Falls they wouldn’t be able to wind around to safety. “We’re trapped…” she said softly. Pippin was rigid before her and she took his hand, staring straight ahead into the darkness of the forest. A second growl made them both inch back, Kahl trembling. “We’ll be dead before we have a chance to scream…” Pippin moaned. “Hush, Pippin!” she cried. She didn’t need him talking like that. “Oh, I knew I should have taken up archery. But how could I have known when I met you I’d soon after be eaten by a Displacer Beast? It can not end like this!” she whined. And suddenly, almost with a bright smile, “Why, Prince Legolas practices archery! Do you think he would show me how? It would be a wonderful beginning to our relationship-“ Pippin looked at her in disbelief. “You are an idiot…” She frowned at him. “What was that?” From the forest came two large black cats, calmly winding out from behind trees, and large rope-like coils of skin had sprung from their shoulders. Kahl stared in plain, cold fear as the large felines looked at them rather hungrily. And from the direct middle of the forest came a stooped old man just as suddenly, dressed entirely in shimmering white robes. He held a staff in his hand and he came out to stand in between the two Displacer Beasts as if he did not even see them. “Hello there.” Pippin threw his hands up in the air just as suddenly. “Gandalf!” And by that time Kahl had stumbled backward in her fear. She teetered at the edge of the cliff, the water rushing a long drop below. But she was fine, she just had to steady herself. “It’s Gandalf, Kahl! We’re saved!” Pippin said, still beaming at the old man. And he elbowed her cheerfully, turning then to look at her. But by that point Kahl had already gone toppling off the cliff with a squeal, her angered cry echoing all the way down. “Fool of a Took!” When she emerged from the pool at the foot of the waterfall, Merry had finally returned. The Displacer Beasts had been a pretty little illusion conjured by Gandalf the White with the Hideously Black Sense of Humor, at Merry’s suggestion. It had been a cute prank played on Kahl for scaring the hobbits with the tale of the Displacer Beast. Merry still rolled with laughter on the ground, foot thumping the dirt as he roared. Gandalf was apologizing most profusely as she dripped both water and discontent. The ward of Elrond, soaking wet because of a small joke that somehow was not as humorous anymore, could not be a good thing. Gandalf would be sure to hear all about it from Elrond soon enough, Kahl fumed. “Oh Elrond and I are good friends. Why, he played the same trick on poor Arwen when she was but a child,” Gandalf mused almost cheerfully. “I daresay that could be the reason why she went and became mortal…” “To pay her father back?” Kahl demanded. “Always a rebel, that girl.” “Oh Kahl, look at you,” Pippin fused. “Wet and dripping everywhere. You’ll catch your death-“ “I’ll have your death if you so much as look at me, hobbit,” she hissed in an un-ladylike, un-elven fashion. Merry paused in mid-hiccup. “But really,” she said, suddenly feigning sweetness once more. “Thank you for a lovely time. Perhaps one day I will return the favor.” And she whirled, head held high, to march off. “Are you quite angry with us?” asked Pippin, calling after her. “You do know it was an accident! I didn’t mean to send you flying off a cliff!” She continued walking, dripping and holding her tongue. “Legolas…” Gandalf suddenly said. “He will be in the Hall of Fire tonight.” He clasped his hands before him, holding the staff horizontally. Kahl hesitated, shoulders stiff, and she slowly glared over her shoulder at the wizard. Gandalf nodded solemnly, long white robes gleaming. “Tonight. We will arrive together for he was so kind to offer his services. I plan to arrive a little before midnight.” “Mithrandir,” she cut him off quietly, and a truly evil light shone in her eyes. “Is that Narya upon your finger?” When Kahl arrived at the Hall of Fire that night she was early. About four hours early but better to safe than sorry. She was dressed in dazzling white and her hair fell loosely down her back. She smiled in greeting to everyone, looking about carefully for Legolas. She would not be surprised if Mithrandir lied to her. He was a strange old man. Narya gleamed around her thumb. She had tackled him and tickled him until he had started wheezing. She could not let the old man die however and so once he had started hyperventilating she had stopped. But not before deftly slipping Narya off his finger and onto hers. She doubted the aging wizard even realized it was gone. “Are you wearing Narya?” Pippin asked from beside her, his eyes wide with interest. She hadn’t even realized he was there but upon hearing his voice she decided to ignore him. She was not about to get over her anger with him. “Kahl!” He jumped to her attention. She looked about nonchalantly, frowning a bit distastefully as she scanned the room. “Is that…a hobbit I hear?” she mused aloud, craning her neck as she looked around. “No, it can’t be. They know better than to approach me…” He sighed from beside her. “I said I was sorry.” Without paying him any attention she turned to squeeze through a pair of elves standing not too far off, hoping to mingle and rid herself of the plague that was a hobbit. Pippin reached out then, seizing the ring right off her finger. Without so much as a word he whirled and fled, vanishing into the crowd. Kahl spun in disbelief, a gasp catching in her throat. The Took had the Ring. The Fool of a Took had the Ring! She instantly went after him, barely keeping sight of him as he squeezed around people, elves and men alike, nimble as a fox. She wound about, murmuring polite apologies and craning to follow him with her eyes but he was damn fast. “Merry!” came his voice suddenly to her left and she whirled in time to see him literally fling Narya at his fellow hobbit. Kahl’s jaw fell open as she watched the ring fly through the air almost in slow motion, the band shimmering in the firelight of the hearth. It landed cleanly in Merry’s palm who merely looked at it for a moment with an expression that slowly turned to disbelief. “Pippin! This is-“ “Run!” cried Pippin as Kahl whirled on the other hobbit. She dove at him but a figure got in the way and she staggered a bit. Merry, before her, giggled almost maliciously and turned, vanishing into the crowd. “Bloody hobbit!” she growled, looking up to see who had gotten in her way. Elenuviel reached out and took hold of her arm, face flushing with color. “What, by the Golden Wood, are you doing? You know very well I can’t find a suitable suitor with you running about like a man child!” she hissed icily. She shook off her sister, glaring right back. “Oh, be a dear, Elen, and sit on it! I am about to face the wrath of Mithrandir and I would very much rather avoid-“ “Is that Narya?” someone asked close by and another elf gasped, making Kahl turn in sudden panic. A hush had fallen in the room and she realized they all faced in the general direction of the hearth, where the fire raged still. Only, edging closer, she could make out Merry and Pippin conversing quietly and giggling, crouched before the hearth and looking into the flames. “Oh, they wouldn’t…” Kahl whispered dimly. Sure enough, gleaming on a flaming piece of wood, rested Narya. It seemed undamaged, surrounded on all sides by tongues of fire. “Merry, look!” cried Pippin suddenly. “It doesn’t burn, either! A wonderful ‘smith, that Sauron…” At that precise moment Kahl decided to jump ship. Women and children first and she was taking the offer. Silently she turned and began to sneak out of the Hall. She was not about to be caught with them and the ring. If she had to she would blame it all on them and good riddance. And a second later, just as she reached the doors, in came Mithrandir. Barely suppressing an “Eek!” she quickly stepped aside as the old man entered, attention drawn to the crowd at the hearth. “Look, Merry, look! Elven writing!” came Pippin’s happy cry. Blocking her face with her hand she scooted around and out behind Mithrandir, promptly ramming into yet another guest. “Oh! My apologies! I did not see you-“ Two hands closed around her shoulders and she looked up into Legolas’ surprised face. All color drained from her face and she stood frozen for a small eternity, caught in his grasp. “That Fool…of a Took!” roared Gandalf suddenly and Kahl came back to herself, looking over her shoulder frantically. Throwing off Legolas’ hands with an apologetic, “Forgive me, my Prince!” she fled, not looking back. “That girl!” cried Gandalf from behind. “Legolas, that girl!” Rounding the far corner of the hallway she heard Legolas reply, “Well, I can’t very well shoot her, Mithrandir!” And then she was safely away, racing for the safety of her room. |
| All images and works done/altered by ShiNoFuriko and TasogareBan. Please do not steal and always give credit to where it is due. |