Chapter 1: Just One Of Those Days

As the last rays of sunshine turned the sides of the valley to shades of red and gold, reflecting like flames from the silver water of the falls cascading into the river below. Elrond, Lore Master of Rivendell and fierce warrior in Ages past, looked out over the valley below and sighed. He poured a second glass of wine and handed it to Glorfindel who had just arrived and they watched the sunset in the comfortable silence possible between friends of old. Although a day is but a drop of water in the ocean of immortality, this one had seemed endless and he was glad it was finally over.

At breakfast the cook had come into the dining hall, brandishing a ladle and complaining loudly about the loss of several berry tarts that had been left cooling on the window ledge.  

"Elladan! Elrohir! I take it you are the culprits in this matter?" Elrond did not really need to ask, his son's feeble attempts to stifle their mirth gave them away,

"We are sorry, but they smelled so delicious," Elrohir tried to explain "and we knew it was still hours before breakfast". They had both risen with the first light of the new day.

"We could not resist eating them, we were very hungry." Elladan added in support of his brother. Elrond eyed them both sternly,

"Let there be no repeat of such childish behaviour, and you are supposed to be well beyond such elfling pranks." His sons were well known for 'having a little fun' as they termed it, but lately they seemed to be getting into a lot more trouble than usual. I will have to find them a task to better occupy their time, Elrond thought. He studied them with open suspicion when they replied "Yes, Father" meekly, and in unison, and he silently thanked the Valar that the cook had been satisfied with the reprimand. Yet Elrond had a feeling there was more trouble to come.

After breakfast he had retired to his library to seek some solace in his beloved books. After selecting an ancient history scroll, the Lord of Rivendell sat at his desk preparing to study it when there was aloud knock on the door. "Enter," he called out and was immediately confronted by an irate mother of one of the young she-elfs his sons were known to favour. Her countenance suggested this was not merely a social call.

"Lord Elrond," she began, "I am here on behalf of my daughter and some of her friends. Apparently they were taking an early morning swim in a pool in a secluded part of the gardens, and not expecting to encounter anyone at that hour, they chose to swim naked." Elrond blanched, he could guess what was coming. "Someone had the indecency to remove the maids' clothing from the bushes!" she exclaimed. "This is totally unacceptable behaviour. I make no formal accusations but I suggest you speak to your sons!"

"I assure you, I will find the culprits and they will be dealt with accordingly. I apologise for any distress or embarrassment the young maidens may have been caused by such unseemly behaviour,” offered Elrond.

"Thank you. Just between you and I," she said with an understanding wink, having had some experience with her daughter's own elfish playfulness, "I think the maids have some form of revenge in mind." Elrond shook his head, it seemed all the young ones had taken leave of their senses today. Was it something in the water, perhaps? He thought to himself.

"I do not condone such behaviour," Elrond said to the two standing silently before him. He had sent for his sons as soon his visitor had left. "It is undignified, and unacceptable to place the maids in such a compromising position. Who returned their clothing?"

"We did." Elladan replied easily.

"What! Do you mean to say you were also watching these maids as they swam naked?" He asked making his displeasure evident with the tone of his voice.

"I do not think they saw us," admitted Elrohir, who saw no point in denying the truth. Their adar knew them both too well.

"If they did, they did not seem to object!" Elladan added defensively. Elrond was both furious and amused. Not that he was ever likely to admit to it, but he had behaved in a similar fashion as young Elf. He had ended up falling in love and marrying Celebrian, who had been the maid in question.

"That is no excuse, it would seem that all of you require a few lessons in moral behaviour. I will have Glorfindel conduct a class this very afternoon since you seem to have nothing better to keep yourselves occupied with today." They groaned their displeasure at the punishment. They had endured many a lecture on Lore from Glorfindel and whilst he was an excellent minstrel, he was a really boring tutor.

"I now understand why you two were hungry this morning," Elrond said with a somewhat bemused expression on his face. "BUT," his voice had turned to ice, leaving no doubt as to his seriousness, "this nonsense has gone far enough. Should you persist in behaving in this manner, I will be forced to take further action. Perhaps it was you two I should have sent to Lothlorien instead of your sister." The twins looked startled at that; maybe they had gone too far this time. All Arwen had done to get 'banished' was express an interest in Estel; she had been immediately sent away and out of his reach. Satisfied that he had settled them down sufficiently, at least for now, Elrond dismissed them with the request that they send Glorfindel to the library.

********

 "With all due respect," Glorfindel said when Elrond had finished explaining what he had in mind, "what you ask will be a difficult task and one that I would prefer not to undertake."

"I am certain you see the need, and if you can defeat a Balrog, I am sure you will be able rise to this ‘challenge’ and instil some sense of dignity and moral values into the young ones." Glorfindel actually thought that battling a Balrog might actually be preferable to a room full of young Elves who were in a merrymaking mood.

"I will do it," he agreed reluctantly. "I only hope I manage to remain unscathed. Youthful exuberance can only be contained for a short time, you know."

The time had been even shorter than even Glorfindel could have predicted. The twins and their friends had attended as requested but the lesson held no interest for any of them, Glorfindel included. S it was that when Elrohir decided a change of subject might relieve the tedium and asked Glorfindel to sing for them, he willingly agreed even though he was not fooled for an instant by the transparent attempt to avoid the lesson.  

 Glorfindel went to collect his harp, an elegant instrument, crafted in the way of the Elves and decorated with his name written in elvish runes amongst the elaborate carvings. It was a treasured gift from the great Elf Lord, Gil-galad, and many centuries ago. As he picked it up, he noticed something amiss; the normally smooth wood of the frame was coated with something very sticky. HONEY! Glorfindel was horrified and did not even take the time to clean his hands as he headed for Elrond's library. Elrond looked up as the door slammed open and his friend stormed in, a thunderous rage darkening his face, lightning flickering in his eyes.

"This is outrageous! How dare they deface my harp in such a manner?" he demanded handing the still sticky instrument to Elrond who was also shocked. The twins were known for their practical jokes, but he did not believe that either of them would cause damage such as this.

"Come, we will sort this out right now!" Elrond said angrily as they headed to the lesson room. There was a hushed silence as the outraged Glorfindel and equally furious Lord Elrond marched into the room and, ignoring the others, confronted his sons.  

" I have tolerated your pranks up to now, but I find I am tired of apologising for you. What ever possessed you to damage Glorfindel's harp? Such an act of vandalism cannot go unpunished." The twins looked confused, they had done no such thing.

"You must believe me when I tell you we know nothing of this, Adar," Elrohir said honestly.

"We would never cause damage to another's personal property, particularly one which is of such great value," insisted Elladan. Elrond could see that for once, his sons were innocent; he believed they told the truth. Apparently so did Glorfindel.

"Then who did?" asked the golden elf lord, glaring at the others in the room.

"I am afraid it is I who am responsible," said a quiet, and very frightened voice. The young she-elf was looking very ashamed of herself and was fighting hard to keep the tears away. Everyone except Glorfindel looked at her in amazement, he had nothing but contempt on his face.

"Explain yourself," Elrond demanded, his anger still evident in his voice.

"We wanted to seek revenge on your sons for spying on us and taking our clothes. We only thought to make trouble for them, for we knew that they would be blamed for damaging the harp" she admitted wringing her hands with distress, "I am so sorry, Glorfindel." There was no apology to the twins who just stared angrily at the maid.

"The prank does not seem so amusing now, does it?" Glorfindel asked, still seething with anger.

"No, it does not" Elrond answered for her. "There will be no more such incidents, do I make myself clear?" He asked glaring at each of the culprits in turn. All nodded in silent agreement. "Very well, there is still the matter of punishment. Since you young maids are responsible for the damaged harp, you are ordered to assist in the kitchens until further notice. As for you two," he said looking sternly at his sons, " I am sending you both with Estel when he leaves tomorrow to patrol the northern borders. He expects to be gone for several months, and perhaps you will manage to keep out of trouble during that time." The twins bowed respectfully and made a hasty retreat before their adar realised that they did not view patrolling with Estel and his Rangers as punishment.  

Elrond turned to Glorfindel who was examining his harp closely. "Will you be able to repair it?"

"Yes, it will take some time to remove the honey, but I do not believe there is any lasting damage."

"I am pleased to hear that. I think we could both do with a glass of wine," Elrond suggested as he made to leave the room. "Perhaps later," Glorfindel responded as he selected a fine linen cleaning cloth from a cupboard, "I am anxious to begin my repairs as soon as possible."

" As you wish. You know, my old friend," he said with a mischievous glimmer in his eye "Gil-galad always said that the music from your harp was the sweetest he had ever heard, now it will be even more so." Glorfindel could not help but smile.

Chapter 2: What Elrond Did Next

The next morning, Elrond bid his errant sons farewell as they left Rivendell with Estel and some of his rangers to patrol the borders near the Shire. Their voices drifted up to him as he stood on the terrace watching as they rode through the gateway,

"Estel, are you sure we cannot go to Mirkwood and hunt spiders instead?" Elladan asked.

"It is not spiders you would hunt, brother" Elrohir teased, "It is those lively she-elfs of the woods." They looked at each other knowingly; they both preferred the merry, easygoing lifestyle of the Woodland Elves to that of the more sedate inhabitants of Rivendell.

"That is exactly why we are not going there." Elrond heard Estel reply sternly as they disappeared out of view. He counted himself fortunate that his foster son was far less inclined towards mischief than his own sons. Estel's more serious nature would serve to settle down their current attack of prank playing or so he hoped. Rivendell had been built in the Second Age as a refuge for Elves and Men who were counted elf-friend during those troubled times. It had survived all the wars of the Second and Third Ages; but could it survive the sons of Elrond!

**********

 Peacefulness spread over Rivendell after the twins had left, and Elrond found it very relaxing. There were no irate elves to placate and no surprises until several weeks later, Gandalf arrived unexpectedly, bringing with him a young elf dressed in the browns and greens of Mirkwood. As Elrond walked towards the courtyard to greet them, he wondered if Elladan had managed to convince Estel to go to Mirkwood after all, for he recognised Gandalf's companion as Legolas, King Thranduil's son. He was relieved to find that the prince was here to study, not to lodge a complaint.

"You are welcome to use the library at any time, Prince Legolas. May I enquire what it is that interests you?"

"Thank you, Lord Elrond. I wish to learn to speak and read Quenya." That surprised Elrond, he did not think that Thranduil would allow such a thing. Gandalf picked up his thought,

"Young Legolas is gifted when it comes to learning languages, and there are many ancient scrolls and texts in his Adar’s library that he wishes to study. Several of the oldest ones are written in the language of the High Elves,” explained Gandalf.

"Really? I would be interested to see these works myself. I did not realise that Thranduil horded that kind of treasure. You have set yourself an arduous task," he said to Legolas,    "but I would be pleased to act as your tutor. Come, I will show you the library. I am afraid the lessons will have to wait, for I have much to discuss with Gandalf, but please feel free to look around until I return."

Elrond found the task of teaching Legolas to be very rewarding. Not only was the young elf a quick study with insatiable curiosity but he also shared Elrond's love of books. It was also a refreshing change to encounter a young elf who, despite his rank as the King of Mirkwood’s son, was extremely polite and well mannered.   Legolas resembled his adar in his fair features, but was definitely not of the same temperament.

**********

The peace and quiet of Rivendell was shattered late one day, as the scouting party returned. There was much singing and dancing that night, as the young lords were welcomed home. In turn, they were relieved to see that Glorfindel had restored his harp and had even composed an amusing song about the misdeeds of certain young elves. They were also pleased to see Legolas, for it had been several centuries since they had last met. As the evening wore on they were soon reacquainted, laughing merrily and telling tall tales of their exploits.

"I hope they do not corrupt the young Thranduilion to their ways," Glorfindel whispered to Elrond.

"I do not think that likely," Elrond replied. "Although it is not wise to make assumptions where my sons are concerned." It is said that elves have far sight, and this proved to be so when, several days later three young Elves and one young Man stood before a very irate Elrond.

In response to a complaint by the Master Fletcher that someone had been tampering with the practice arrows, they had been summoned to Elrond's study. He did not bother wasting his time by asking if the accusation was valid, he simply looked to Elladan and said, "An explanation is in order."

"It was all Legolas's fault… " he began. Elrond silenced the protests to this remark from Legolas and Estel with a look.

"Continue."

"He was boasting about how accurately he could shoot."

"That is not entirely true," interrupted Estel. "I was telling them of Legolas's ability.   He simply admitted that he had not lost an archery contest that he could recall."

"Your sons, challenged me to prove that what I was saying was true, and I agreed,” added Legolas in his own defence. Elrond rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"What has this to do with the practice arrows?" he asked, having a fair idea of the answer. Elladan and Elrohir were looking decidedly uncomfortable now, neither wanted to speak.

"We actually believed what they were saying," Elrohir explained finally, not wishing to try his adar’s patience any further. "We heard about Legolas's skill as an archer from some... um… acquaintances…   we have amongst the elves in Mirkwood." Elrond merely raised an eyebrow at this, but was not surprised; both his sons were known to be as fond of the maids, as the maids were of them.

"We challenged him to a contest using the practice bows and arrows, rather than his own because we had fletched some so that they would not fly straight and true." What he did not admit to was that Legolas had detected the faulty arrows after the first one failed to hit the target. To uphold the honour of Rivendell, they had been forced to allow him to use his own arrows. It had turned into a one-sided contest, and the twins had conceded defeat.

"I assume these 'faulty' arrows somehow found their way into the quivers of the new students this morning?" asked Elrond sternly. The twins tried unsuccessfully to look innocent.

"I believe I heard them say something about not letting their efforts go to waste," offered Estel with a smirk. Elladan favoured him with a look that said "I will get you later!"

"Estel and Legolas, you are dismissed," said Elrond curtly. "I wish to speak to these two in private." As soon as the door closed, Elrond turned to his sons.

"I am disappointed with both of you. Whilst I have no objection to friendly rivalry, I do object strongly to your recent actions. Firstly, to attempt to embarrass an Elf from our neighbouring realm was a display of very poor manners. Secondly, and this is a much more serious matter -- your interference with the practice weapons was an irresponsible act that could have caused injury, or worse to the inexperienced students. I cannot condone such behaviour." Neither twin spoke, they just watched as a thunderstorm of rage passed over their adar’s face. When he finally calmed himself, he pronounced their punishment.

"I do not believe the Master Fletcher will let either of you touch his arrows, but you will go immediately and beg his forgiveness for your behaviour. When you return, I will have a private message ready for you to deliver personally to Lord Celeborn."

"Yes, Adar," they said with, Elrond was thankful to hear, some repentance in their voices. As they headed out the door, Elrohir was heard to comment to his twin,

"We have really gone too far this time, I do not relish being sent in disgrace to Lothlorien. I am certain Lady Galadriel will not be impressed."

Chapter 3. Beware The Spiders

Legolas and Estel, relieved to have been dismissed by Elrond, left the twins to their fate and decided to find a place to relax. They chose a small glade by a pond and Legolas seated himself in the shade beneath a large willow tree that grew on the bank and watched as Estel idly skimmed pebbles across the surface.

"What is it, Estel?" Legolas asked having caught the questioning look his friend cast in his direction.

"I was just wondering how long you could keep up this façade of 'princely decorum'. The Legolas I know would not let that prank of the twin's go by without exacting revenge." He knew that the Prince of Mirkwood hid a wonderful sense of fun behind his courtly behaviour

"How do you know I have not already something planned?" Legolas replied with a sparkle of mischief in his eye, indicating to Estel that Elladan and Elrohir had better beware.

"Do you intend letting me in on the joke?" Estel asked hopefully.

"No, but you will recognise it when it happens," was the enigmatic reply.

When they heard that the twins were to travel to Lothlórien, Legolas offered to accompany them as far as Mirkwood, for he planned to return home to deliver a message from Elrond to his father. Gandalf had asked Estel to attend to some matter in the south, so he also decided to join the group for part of the journey. Elladan carried the letter for Celeborn and Elrond had elicited a promise from both his sons that they would be on their best behaviour when they reached their destination.

The roadway, which headed into the forest of Mirkwood, signalled the parting of the ways for the four friends. There had been much discussion as they travelled as to whether the twins and Estel should make their way south through Mirkwood, or simply follow the mighty Anduin River to the Golden Wood. Legolas had advised against the forest path, but Elladan and Elrohir were determined not to miss the opportunity to pursue their favourite sport of spider hunting.

"As you wish, but I shall not be joining you, so take care,” warned Legolas as he followed his chosen path through the treetops. His companions smiled as they heard the sweet sound of his voice as he sung a greeting to the trees becoming ever dimmer as he quickly disappeared from view.

Estel turned south and he and the twins followed the pathway that was protected by the power of the Elven King. The forest to either side was a dark, foreboding place and the shining eyes of creatures unknown seemed to be everywhere.

"We will never find any spiders if we stick to the path," complained Elladan.

"I suppose we could venture a little way into the forest," suggested Elrohir. "What do you think, Estel?"

"I think you are both underestimating the danger, but I can see that you are determined to do this. I believe the lair is much further into the forest, but there are usually a few spiders on the outskirts, just waiting for prey," he added with a grin. So saying he lead the way cautiously beneath the trees, searching for any sign of spiders. The initial eagerness to find the dangerous creatures diminished as they travelled deeper into the forest, to be quickly replaced by a sense of unease. Elf and Man both felt as if they were being blanketed by a dark shadow and there was an eerie silence all around.

Estel stopped suddenly, sensing danger but before he could voice a warning, the twins had been caught beneath what they thought to be a spider web. They struggled wildly to free themselves before they could be attacked and called frantically for help. Hearing no response, they looked in amazement to where Estel was standing and saw that he was almost bent double with laughter at their predicament. Legolas was there also, casually leaning on his bow, a look of delight on his face. He walked slowly over to them and took his time cutting them free.

"A well thought out revenge," Estel acknowledged tears of laughter still in his eyes.

"Thank you," he said with a courtly bow. "It was an easy feat to accomplish since I knew my friends would not be able to resist the temptation to detour for a spider hunt on their way to Lothlórien."

"Very amusing," said Elrohir sarcastically as he finally disentangled his hair from the netting.

"Look out!" shouted Elladan pointing to the large black spider preparing to drop from the branches above. This had not been part of the plan, but Legolas had grown up killing spiders. In the blink of an eye an arrow to the head felled the creature.

"Fortunately, I have my Mirkwood arrows," said Legolas smugly, unable to resist the slight against the practice arrows.

The excitement was over, and Legolas lead them to the safety of one of the protected glades. They recovered their wits and took some light refreshment before the twins and Estel deemed it time to resume their journey. This time they heeded Legolas' advice. When they reached the edge of the woods, they said their farewells once again and made their way along the Anduin towards Lorien.

*****

Thranduil had been informed by his daily scout patrol that his son was returning and made preparations for a welcome home feast. The prince greeted his father with a hug and handed him the letter from Elrond. Thranduil eyed the missive warily and his features darkened as he read it.

"What have you been telling them in Rivendell?" he asked his son. Legolas had no idea as to the message so did not know to what his adar referred.

"It seems that Elrond intends to come here to view some of those old books and scrolls that belonged to Oropher. You did not invite him, I hope?" asked Thranduil in a tone of voice that indicated his displeasure at the thought.

"No, Adar," came the quiet reply, he would not have dared to, even though he knew Elrond was very curious about the books. Legolas could think of only one who would dare to presume such a thing. Gandalf! The wizard had mentioned something about maps and battle plans that were thought to be lost.

"No matter," Thranduil said dismissing the issue for the moment and putting his arm around his son's shoulder "we have a night of feasting ahead of us."

******

Chapter 4. Incorrigible Elves

Gandalf had decided to accompany Elrond on his visit to Thranduil's court and they had left Rivendell the day after the young ones had departed. Glorfindel was pleased that Gandalf would be there should mediation be required, but he had objected strongly to the lack of an escort, insisting that Elrond take several guards for protection. Elrond knew full well of the danger of unexpected orc attacks but he declined the assistance offered.

"My skills as a warrior have not yet diminished entirely," he said confidently. "Besides, there are very few dangers we might encounter on the journey that my power or Gandalf's wizardry would not be able to defeat."

"I was thinking more of the danger when you reach Thranduil's court!" His friend said half seriously. "I would find it inconvenient to have to come and remove you from his dungeons should you offend him in any way. Those Woodland elves are extremely fond of their King and are fiercely loyal to him."

"That is as it should be, but there is no cause for concern. Our personal differences do not place me in any jeopardy, unless… " Elrond said dryly, "I arrive with a large guard which might be construed as a Noldor invasion force." Glorfindel laughed heartily at that idea.

*******

The impending visit of Lord Elrond was cause for much excitement and speculation amongst the elves of Mirkwood. Legolas soon wearied of being constantly asked by all and sundry when the Lord of Rivendell could be expected; why was he coming to see the King after all this time; and so on. King Thranduil was annoyed with all the fuss that was being made over "that pretentious Half-Elven" and his irritation caused him to make life difficult for everyone. Although he and Elrond were on better terms than either admitted publicly, Thranduil was annoyed with Legolas. Not only because he held Elrond in high esteem, and was friends with those 'disreputable twins' into the bargain, but also he had decided his son was to blame for the causing so much disruption to the daily routines. Legolas, in turn, was regretting having told Elrond of his adar’s books in the first place.

Finally the scouts who patrolled Mirkwood's borders sent a message to inform the palace that Elrond and Gandalf had arrived. As they rode along the path which lead to the King’s Hall, Elrond noted with sadness the changes the shadow had wrought in the once magnificent Greenwood the Great, and at how the realm that Thranduil's power could maintain was diminishing. He frowned slightly when he saw Legolas waiting at the gates to greet them. Elrond was affronted by the obvious snub on Thranduil's part until Gandalf reminded him that arriving uninvited was also a breach of good manners. Elrond accepted the rebuke silently and followed Legolas as he led them to Thranduil's private study.

"You may leave us, now Legolas. Please have my steward ensure the guest rooms are ready." His son reluctantly obeyed, he would rather have stayed to observe whatever was going to happen.

"Greetings and welcome, Gandalf," Thranduil said with a polite bow to the much respected Istari who nodded acknowledgement but did not speak.

"It has been many centuries since we last met, Elrond," he said, turning to his unwanted guest. "What brings you to Mirkwood? Your letter indicated that you wish to study the old books and scrolls, which are part of my library. I think you must have some particular reason, other than idle curiosity as to what I may possess. They must be of great importance to bring you away from Rivendell and into the depths of my realm."

"Very astute, Thranduil," Elrond replied. "Gandalf believes that you may have some of Oropher's old maps which we may have need of in the dark times he sees coming. As I am sure Legolas told you, I am also interested in studying any ancient tomes."

"Surely there are no works the Master of Lore has not already seen or read? Why should I show them to you?" Thranduil asked testily.

"Because I am asking you to," said Gandalf trying to defuse any confrontation before it began. "The various races of Middle Earth are facing a war with the Dark Lord, we need to plan our defence. I ask for your help because this evil will affect us all."

"My only concern is for the Elves. I have no great love for the race of Men or Dwarves, neither are to be trusted," argued Thranduil. Surprisingly, Elrond found that he was of a similar opinion.

"I also have little faith in them," he said, ignoring the sceptical look Thranduil gave him, "but we must help them defeat the shadow. Even though our time here is fading, we cannot leave Middle Earth to the dark Lord’s power." Elrond looked to Gandalf for support.

"Elrond speaks wisely," Gandalf said, "but there are not enough Elves left to defeat him, help will be needed from the other races."

"So, I take it you suggest we unite our forces in the face of a common enemy?" Thranduil asked, not particularly impressed with the idea.

"That is my desire," Elrond said.

"Very well, what you say is true, we all know that Sauron seeks revenge on the Elves. I will allow you to borrow whatever may be of use to you, but do not look to Mirkwood to join your battles elsewhere," he warned. "I will need all my warriors to defend these borders. He already has Mirkwood firmly in his sight." Gandalf could see that Elrond was displeased with Thranduil's attitude, but he well understood the Woodland King’s position so he changed the subject.

"I noticed that the courtyard is very gaily decorated. Does that mean you intend to honour us with one of your well-known feasts tonight?" Gandalf asked hopefully. That was exactly what Thranduil had planned, and much to the surprise of all, the evening went smoothly. Elrond and Thranduil became engaged in a discussion of battle tactics, and seemed to be on very amicable terms.

They spent the next few days in Thranduil's library, Elrond studying the books with Thranduil hovering close by, offering whatever assistance was required. In a room containing a large table covered with maps, Gandalf, with much help from Legolas, soon had the information he required. To Legolas’s disappointment, their stay was short and they soon departed for Rivendell.

*******

Unfortunately, many leagues away, Estel were not having such an easy time. The twins had become extremely tiresome and annoying. After leaving Mirkwood, they were determined that Legolas would not have the last laugh and they had done nothing but discuss the many ways one could exact revenge on a golden-haired Wood Elf.

"Do you think we could discuss something else for a while?" Estel asked impatiently.

"Perhaps we could discuss what our beautiful sister could possibly see in a Ranger and why Adar sent her off to Lothlorien," Elrohir said laughing at the embarrassed look on Estel's face. Elrond had caught them kissing on a secluded bridge and had been so furious that he manifested his disapproval by sending Arwen away.

"Maybe you would do better to try and guess what Adar may have written to Celeborn, or how the Lady Galadriel will greet you?" He retaliated.

The twins stopped and stared at him. "Do you know what is in the letter, Estel?" Elrohir asked.

"No… " he answered hesitantly, as if he had something to hide. In fact he had no idea what Elrond's message to Celeborn was, but it amused him to let them think he did. They were not entirely convinced by his denial, but they were definitely curious as to the content of the missive.

"Perhaps we should take a peek at it?" Suggested Elladan as he took the letter from his travel bag and inspected it closely. "Adar’s seal is not fixed very strongly so it would be an easy task for a Ranger to remove it and replace it unnoticed," he said looking hopefully at Estel.

"I will not deny that I could do as you suggest, but I will not betray Elrond's trust. Besides, he has probably put an enchantment of some kind on it and I do not wish to tempt fate.” Elladan sighed in resignation and returned the unopened letter to his bag,

”Nice try, brother," said Elrohir. "It is unfortunate that Estel is so noble and honest and wise," he teased.

"You two are really incorrigible!" Estel replied indignantly as he marched swiftly towards their destination. The one advantage of travelling with elves he decided was that the journey was very swift, and not a moment too soon the trees of the Golden Wood were in sight.

"I must now depart for my errand takes me towards the gates of Moria," Estel said to the twins. "I ask that you pay my respects to the Lord and Lady of the Wood. Farewell for now. I trust that whatever awaits you will not be too painful!" he said as he turned towards the foothills of the Misty Mountains.

Even as the twins reached the dappled shade beneath the trees of Lothlórien, their elven ears could still hear the faint sound of his laughter.

Chapter 5. The Last Laugh

Leaves of gold and brown fluttered gently in the breeze spiralling lazily downwards until they finally came to rest on the forest floor. Sunlight filtered through the ancient treetops and all around there was an air of peace and tranquillity, which Elladan and Elrohir barely seemed to appreciate.

"You do realise Elrohir, that we would not be here if not for that prank with the arrows?" Elladan said. "We should have known that we were trying Adar’s patience beyond its limits."

"Yes, we should have indeed," his brother, agreed. "But do not forget that it was your idea, not mine."

"We are equally at fault, little brother," Elladan said, becoming slightly annoyed. Elrohir chose to ignore the barb.

"I wonder what awaits us in Caras Galadhon?" Elrohir pondered.

With minds totally occupied with imagining their fate, their elven senses had not warned either of them that they were being watched. A group of Elves came upon them, suddenly appearing from amongst the trees.

"The Lord and Lady of the Wood await your arrival," answered Haldir, the leader of the patrol. The twins both jumped in surprise at the sound of his voice. Haldir and his patrol could not help but laugh at the disgusted looks on the twin's faces

"Greetings to you, Haldir," said Elrohir, quickly recovering his composure. This was the second time they had been caught unawares in a forest; it was a bad habit to develop.

"Welcome to Lothlorien, Elladan, Elrohir. The Lady Galadriel has sent us to escort you to her." He had a wicked gleam in his eye as he continued, "You can both rest assured that there are no spiders in these woods, of either the eight- or two-legged variety." The other members of the patrol laughed heartily and two sets of pointed ears blushed with embarrassment.

"How did you know about that 'tricky' Wood Elf?" Elladan demanded.

"There is very little the Lady of the Wood does not know of happenings large and small, particularly where her grandsons are concerned," Haldir replied, smiling at the alarmed look that passed between the twins. "Come, let us not keep her waiting."

They had barely reached the gates of the city before Arwen came running out to greet them. Although she was often at odds with her brothers, she had missed them and was eager to hear all the news from Rivendell. Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel watched the happy reunion for a few moments before approaching the twins to welcome them to Caras Galadhon.

"Welcome Elladan, Elrohir" said Celeborn "I trust your journey was pleasant?"

"Yes, thank you, Lord Celeborn," Elrohir replied, acting as spokesman as they both bowed politely.

"Such formality is unnecessary between kin," Celeborn said with a smile.

"Of course it is," agreed Galadriel as she hugged each of her grandsons in turn. Elladan took her hand and kissed it, but Elrohir dared to kiss her on the cheek, which pleased her immensely. "I trust that Elrond is well?" she asked.

"Yes, he is, or rather he was before he went to Mirkwood to see King Thranduil,” replied Elladan mischievously.

"Do not be concerned.   I would know if anything untoward had happened to either of those two." She was extremely fond of her daughter's husband and the rather incorrigible son of Oropher.

"What news do you bring from Rivendell?" Celeborn asked. Elladan retrieved the letter from his travel bag and handed it to his grandsire. "Thank you. I think that perhaps you should let Arwen show you to the guest rooms, we shall see you at the evening meal,” he said dismissively.

Arwen did as she had been asked and once the twins were settled she found some fruit and wine for refreshment. "What are you two doing here?" she asked finally, "I am dying of curiosity."

"Then I had better answer you, before we are blamed for your tragic demise as well as everything else bad that happens in Middle Earth!" joked Elladan. Arwen's laughter was infectious as he explained the various events which had preceded them being sent to Lothlorien, and soon all three had tears of merriment rolling down their cheeks. That is until Elladan told of how they had teased Estel. Arwen's expression turned from amusement to fury in an instant.

"How could you be so cruel? I hope Lord Celeborn choses something really bad as your punishment!" she exclaimed as she stalked out of the room.

"Typical of Arwen," Elrohir commented with a slight shrug as he watched her slam the door. "It does not take much to anger her, does it?"

"No, sometimes she is very much like Adar; no real sense of humour,” came Elladan’s reply.

******

Shortly after the evening meal, the twins were summoned to attend Celeborn in his study. Their growing concern over their as yet unnamed fate had made them extremely nervous and they were dismayed to see that Galadriel was there as well. Celeborn indicated for them to be seated.

"I have read the letter from Elrond, and I must say I am disappointed with your current behaviour. Youthful exuberance and playfulness is a common trait among Elves and I do not object to expressing such in the form of pranks, provided they are harmless and do not exceed the bounds of good manners or moral behaviour. It would appear that you two have managed exceed these limits, and despite repeated requests from Elrond, you continue to do so. Even an Adar’s patience cannot be tried too far." The twins were now very worried, for the Celeborn who spoke those words sounded more like the mighty warrior lord he had been, rather then their gentle grandsire. Even Galadriel felt the power and authority in her husband's voice and the subtle warning to the twins. They received the message loud and clear and nodded in silent acknowledgement.

"You would do well to heed Lord Celeborn," she said sternly. "It would not be wise to anger him. However," she added with a slight smile, "if you must play pranks, please do so a little more responsibly." Celeborn frowned slightly, it was obvious from whom they had inherited some of their mischief making tendencies.

"I realise that you are expecting me to mete out a suitable punishment," Celeborn continued, "but Elrond has asked me to read you part of the letter you delivered.”

Two single eyebrows rose simultaneously at that, but the twins kept their silence as Celeborn read out loud.

”… I assume my sons are now in your presence, Celeborn, and that you are attempting to make them see the benefits of responsible behaviour. I have sent them to you thinking that I wish to punish them for causing havoc at Rivendell. I saw no reason to make them think otherwise. I am certain they have been concerned and anxious as to the content of this letter throughout their journey. When you see fit, please inform them that all it contains is a request for Arwen to return home.

This time the joke is on you, my sons.

Regards

Elrond.”

“Perhaps he does have a sense of humour, after all!” Elladan whispered to Elrohir.

Galadriel and Celeborn could not contain their mirth at the astonished expressions on the identical faces of their grandsons and the study echoed with the sound or their laughter.

***********

Epilogue.

Elrond watched as the red-gold fingers of the last rays of the setting sun gently caressed the treetops, welcoming the twilight of evening. Even though it had been several weeks since his sons had returned from Lothlorien, there had been no untoward incidents and no irate weapons masters, cooks or parents of maids to deal with. Rivendell remained calm, peaceful much to Elrond's relief.

Turning to Glorfindel, who stood in silent contemplation beside his friend, Elrond said quietly,

 "It seems that the spate of practical jokes is over, thank the Valar. I had hoped that the twins would heed Celeborn's words."

"Oh, I think it has more to do with them not wanting to become the subjects of another one of YOUR pranks," he replied laughing merrily. Elrond could not help but smile at that.

"A wise choice, and I sincerely hope that they have learned their lesson. Speaking of which, have you finished trying to teach the trouble -makers some elven morality and etiquette?"

"Yes, but I do not guarantee that their behaviour will remain as good as it has been recently,” commented Glorfindel wryly.

"We can only hope," sighed Elrond as the bell chimed for the evening meal and they made their way towards the dining hall.

Elrond was pleased to note that Arwen and some of her friends had taken charge of entertaining Legolas. The young Wood Elf had returned to continue his study of Quenya, and Elrond was becoming concerned that he was far too serious. Apparently he was so only when studying, for at present he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying being the centre of attention. Elrond found himself thinking that the prince would be a much more 'suitable' match for his daughter than Estel. He shook his head in resignation for he knew that eventually he would lose Arwen to Estel; even with his formidable powers, that battle of the heart was not one he could win.

As he took his seat at is usual table, Elrond looked curiously at his sons. "Why are you two not dining with that merry group over there?"   He asked, inclining his head in the direction of the table where Arwen and Legolas sat.

"Perhaps the young prince does not wish to share his admirers?" teased Glorfindel.

"We would rather be associated with the more mature members of Rivendell," Elrohir responded haughtily. Glorfindel laughed out loud.

"Since when? You do not fool me my young friends.   Has something happened to cause you to avoid our guest?" Elladan and Elrohir exchanged worried looks.   Glorfindel could not possibly have found them out, could he? Elrond noted the frowns on both their faces, and although he knew he would regret it, he had to ask.

"I think one of you had better tell me what you have done to Legolas. I assume you took your revenge for the spider incident?" They both nodded confirmation, but neither was willing to explain further.

"As the elder it falls to you to answer Adar," said Elrohir, poking his brother in the ribs. Elladan fixed him an angry glare, but proceeded with the tale when Elrond prompted him with a stern order.

“Go ahead, Elladan.”

"We told Legolas that the pool in the garden where the willows grow is an 'enchanted pool' with waters that ease tired muscles and provide a feeling of well-being when you swim in it."

"There are no enchanted pools in my gardens," Elrond interrupted.

"We know that, but he did not.   We also told him that the spell only worked if you were naked." Glorfindel rolled his eyes.

"You left him in the water and stole his clothes," he surmised. "Not a very original prank."

"I suppose not, but we also knew that Arwen and her friends were going to swim there that day, at about the same time we were there with Legolas." They both started laughing as Elrohir described how they had hidden nearby to watch the mortified look on the prince's face as he heard the maids approaching. He had swum quickly to the bank and looked for his clothes, to no avail. As the maids entered the garden along the only pathway, his only option had been to stand behind one of the bushes. That plan had afforded some cover for his dignity.

"No wonder he does not wish to have anything to do with you, he must have been very embarrassed," Elrond said trying hard not to laugh at the image of a naked prince, a bush and several young she-elfs. So much for Glorfindel's morality lessons!

"Oh, he actually was quite good about it all when we finally had a chance to speak to him," Elrohir said with a hint of sarcasm. "He thanked us for providing him with an opportunity for becoming better acquainted with Arwen's friends."

"They actually felt sorry for him, and apologised for OUR behaviour! They thought he looked quite attractive despite his state of undress, and invited him to dine with them tonight." Elladan said sourly. "We received no such invitation; all we received was a scolding from Arwen."

Glorfindel and Elrond were highly amused.

"I am glad that there is at least one elf in Middle Earth who is immune to your pranks, apparently it is very difficult to best a Wood Elf," said Glorfindel. "However, I thought this nonsense was at an end?"

Elrond merely sighed in exasperation, so much for the brief period of peace and quiet, he had enjoyed it while it lasted.