Disclaimer: Don’t own any of it, not making any money from it.

This is another companion piece to ‘Of a Father and Son’. In order to understand this one, you should read its prequel ‘The Conversation’.

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                                                  Estel ran for his life down the corridor. He had known he was risking grievous bodily injury when he had called Legolas “Desk boy”, but the look on his friend’s face had been worth any retribution Legolas chose to exact from him. He risked a look over his shoulder. Legolas was gaining on him. Estel pushed himself harder, making the door mere inches before the pursuing elf. Ignoring the stairs, the young man leapt over the railing and continued his headlong flight into the gardens. He knew it was merely a matter of time before Legolas caught him as he was naturally stronger and faster than Estel, but he was determined to make it as difficult for the elf as he could. Legolas could certainly use the distraction; he had been brooding again of late. That was why he and the twins had agreed so readily to go along with the prince’s eavesdropping scheme.

                                                 Estel made it to the edge of the bridge just as a slender, strong hand caught his collar, jerking him back and landing him on his rump. He barely had time to gasp before he was thrown onto his belly. Legolas landed on the human’s back a fraction of a second later, one of his strong archer’s hands grasping Estel’s wrist and pulling his arm up behind his back, not far enough to cause injury but enough to be uncomfortable, the other hand grasping a handful of his shoulder length hair.

                                                “Ai, Legolas, not so rough! I am not an elf, you know!” Estel gasped through his teeth. The hold on his arm and hair eased fractionally.

                                                 “You seem to have forgotten that yourself, orc.” Legolas was not really very upset, but the rules of male friendship required that he gain some form of revenge for an insult of this magnitude. Casting his eyes around, he noted a rather large muddy area to his left. “You behave like an orc, you may as well look like one,” he stated. Moving so quickly that Estel had no chance to react, he picked his friend up and tossed him headfirst into the mud. Estel rolled over and sat up, raking the mud from his face in disgust. He looked over at his friend who was sitting cross-legged on the path grinning cheekily at him. “Well that is an improvement, I must say. At least now I cannot see your face.” Legolas chortled at his own joke. A handful of muck hit the laughing elf squarely in the face, stopping his merriment. Estel grinned, showing white teeth in a mud-blackened face.

                                                  “Now that is what I call improvement! Wonder how many elf maids would like to help you clean up? You might just want to thank me later.” Estel’s grin widened as he saw Legolas’ eyes narrow. He was certain that the prince was blushing furiously, but could not tell for certain. His night vision was nowhere near as good as Legolas’. Legolas growled.

                                                  “Estel it is bad enough to find out that I do not even have the ability to conceal that type of activity from my Adar. Must you tease me about it, too? Honestly it is almost enough to make me celibate.” Legolas stood and strode away, plainly in a huff. Estel sighed and picked himself up out of the mud. He was used to the mercurial nature of elves in general and Legolas in particular but the elf had been moodier than usual of late. He paused a moment before following his friend. He noted with relief that the elf had not made an effort to hide his trail. If Legolas had truly been angry with him, he would have made certain that Estel would not find him. He located his friend a bit later up in a particularly old oak tree. He climbed up carefully and seated himself on a limb near the elf.

                                                    “Does it truly bother you that much?” He wished he could see Legolas’ face better. The elf was far too adept at controlling the emotions he expressed in his voice.

                                                  “Sometimes. Estel, I am sorry. I should not have lashed out at you like that. I am just out of sorts tonight and not fit company for an orc.” Legolas’ soft voice betrayed a wealth of things he had not said. It was a good sign that he was not trying to hide anything, Estel realized.

                                                   “Well, since that is what you claim I am, it is as well that it is me here in this tree with you.” He was rewarded with a snorted laugh. “Do you wish to talk about it? I may not be as wise as my Ada, but I can listen.”

                                                   “It is just that I never seem to be able to do anything without the entirety of my Adar’s realm knowing about it and discussing it at length. Literally the only time I can truly relax and simply be myself is when I am out in the wilds with you and your brothers. Do you see? Ai, I suppose all that has happened lately is making me feel sorry for myself. Do I sound as pathetic to you as I do to myself?” He glanced down at Estel.

                                               “Oh, you are always pathetic so how would I notice any difference?” Estel chuckled trying to lighten his friend’s mood. A slight laugh told him he was having at least a small measure of success. “Honestly, Legolas why do you think your Adar allows you to travel here as often as he does? I think he knows that you feel this way. Has he ever actually said anything to you about your, hmmm, activities?” There was a pause.

                                                “No, not even indirectly. Now that is odd. If he has known all this time why has he not said anything?” Legolas’ brow furrowed.

                                                 “ Well, that little conversation we overheard gives me reason to believe that he does not want to be a hypocrite by taking you to task for something he did when he was younger,”  Estel theorized. Legolas’ grin was almost palpable.

                                                  “Younger? He has a lover now, thank you very much. I doubt he realizes that I know about her. I think he is trying to protect my feelings by keeping the arrangement from me, but I actually have no problem with it. His heart will always belong to Naneth.  She would not begrudge him that small bit of comfort, I think, so why should I? Oh, Estel you should see your face!” Legolas was laughing now. “I believe I have shocked you!”

                                                  “Well, a bit perhaps. I forget that your Adar’s situation is not the same as my Adar’s.” Estel grinned, slightly embarrassed that his reaction was so noticeable.

                                                 “Ai, now that is a true hardship! I cannot imagine how Lord Elrond bears it.” Legolas grimaced in sympathy for the lord of Imladris’ plight. “May I never have to go that long without female company!”

                                                 “So, you have decided not to be celibate now? Fickle elf! I know which part of your anatomy you think with!” Estel fairly fell out of the tree in his haste to put some distance between himself and his friend. Legolas laughed, chasing him down the tree and along the path to the house.

                                              “The same one you do, mellon-nin, and I have that from Arwen herself!” He laughed even harder as Estel stopped dead in his tracks and turned to stare at him.

                                              “Arwen said what, exactly?” Estel stood stock still, eyes locked on his friend. Legolas shook his head in exasperation.

                                               “Estel, you know I would never repeat a confidence. Not from you, not from her. I was merely teasing you, but your reaction tells me a great deal. Be careful about that around your brothers or you may reveal more than you wish to.” He walked forward to clasp the human’s shoulder. Estel managed a sheepish grin.

                                                “This is going to give you blackmail fodder for years, is it not?” He dared a look at the elf.

                                                “No, not on this subject. You have enough grief there already without me adding to it. I do retain the right to tease you though, when it is just the two of us.” He grinned, and Estel had to laugh at the sight. The mud he had thrown was still streaking the elf’s face, making him look like an oddly patterned forest creature.

                                                “Agreed, mellon and thank you. Come on, we both need to wash the mud off ourselves.” Estel wrapped a muddy arm around the elf’s shoulders and steered him toward the house. Legolas reached up and tousled the human’s hair, shaking mud down his face again.

                                                “Not to mention that we need to raid the kitchen. All this serious conversation makes one very hungry!” He smirked at Estel and ran his hand over the human’s face to smear the mud even worse. Estel smacked his hand away, laughing.

                                                  “Stop it, Desk boy!” He ducked as Legolas mock-swung at him. “I will bathe; you raid the kitchen after you wash, agreed?”

                                                  “I will agree to almost anything that induces you to bathe, human,” Legolas replied cheekily, ducking a mock swung from Estel. They separated at the door of Legolas’ room to carry out the plan.

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                                               Elladan opened the door to Estel’s room carefully. He did not want to wake his foster brother. Elrohir followed him, silently as a shadow. He nearly ran into his brother’s back as Elladan stopped suddenly. Elrohir soundlessly smacked the back of his twin’s head, prompting a glare from the recipient of the smack.

                                                “He is not here, you can relax. His bed has not been slept in.” Elladan stated, smacking Elrohir’s arm. “Mordor. He’s either up and Illuvatar knows where, or Legolas has done something truly wretched to him for the name calling last night. Brother, we may well find him trussed up in a tree in some remote corner of the valley.” Elrohir sighed.

                                                “I know not what we shall do with him. I suppose the best thing to do is wake Legolas and ask him what he has done with our brother. This is going to amuse him to no end.” Elrohir grimaced at the thought.

                                                  “He will not be so amused if we threaten to awaken his Adar if he does not cooperate.” Elladan wore a decidedly evil expression.

                                                   “Remind me not to anger you, Brother; you are far too wicked for me. If it comes to that, I leave the task to you. I like my head on my shoulders.” Elrohir smirked at his twin. Elladan returned the smirk with one of his own.

                                                   “Brother dear, you like your head buried in Mithwen’s…….” Elladan dodged a fist aimed at his shoulder.

                                                    “ We have better things to do than argue about who likes what part of any lady’s anatomy, Elladan! Estel may be hanging from a tree while we debate.” Elrohir eyed his brother with disapproval.

                                                     “ Oh, very well! You must have slept alone last night. You are certainly grumpy enough.” He ignored the dirty look his brother gave him. “ Let us go wake the princeling.” The brothers moved to the next door, easing it open without a sound. The sight that graced them quelled any fears they had for their brother’s safety. Estel was curled up in the chair that sat next to Legolas’ bed, a sweet roll pilfered from the kitchen still in his hand. Legolas lay across the bed with his head pillowed on his arms, a plate of fruit next to him on the bed. The brothers exchanged an amused look. This was hardly the first time both of the younger members of the quartet had fallen asleep during a late night conversation following a kitchen raid. Elladan’s look turned mischievous and he leaned over Legolas, tickling the prince’s nose with a strand of his own hair. Legolas’ hand shot out suddenly grabbed a pillow and swung it to connect solidly with Elladan’s head. Elladan stumbled backwards into Elrohir and knocked him onto Estel, who promptly shoved the fallen elf onto the floor.

                                              “Do the two of you have nothing better to do?” Estel rubbed his eyes and blinked blearily at his foster brothers. Legolas shifted to a sitting position before chiming in.

                                               “Indeed, are there not innocent maidens to torment?” Legolas asked his tone deceptively sweet.

                                                “You both are certainly in wonderful moods this morning. Come, Elrohir, we shall have to go wake Ada by ourselves.” Elladan grinned evilly.

                                                “Better yours than mine,” Legolas retorted, rising from the bed. “I plan to soak myself in hot water up to my neck and then see what your cooks are preparing for breakfast. If you wish to risk your necks, that is your prerogative.”

                                                 “Oh, you are no fun this morning! Legolas, you really need to lighten your spirits.” Elladan favored the younger elf with a frown.

                                                  “Elladan, have you ever seen your Adar the morning after a night of heavy wine consumption?” At Elladan’s indication of the negative he continued, “ I have seen mine under that condition, not to mention having been in such a state myself a time or two, and I counsel you to approach him only bearing a headache remedy and a cold compress for his head. Also, possibly a basin to catch the contents of his stomach. I have no interest in tormenting either your Adar or mine, so if that is your plan, you may count me out of it.” Legolas looked down his nose at the twins in a haughty manner. If one did not know him well, it would be easy to assume that his manner was the one he normally took and that he was completely serious. The twins were under no such illusion, and both tackled the prince onto his bed, laughing at his facetious behavior. A tussle ensued, and Estel waded into the fray on Legolas’ side. All four were collapsed in laughter minutes later.

                                                 “All right, you have to tell me, who was that? It did not sound like your Adar’s seneschal.” Elladan eyed the prince with considerable interest. Legolas could be a wicked mimic when he wished. Legolas laughed, smoothing his wildly tousled hair before answering.

                                                 “No, that was Coimasar, Adar’s secretary. He is quite possibly the largest pain in the arse that I have ever had the displeasure to meet. However, he does a fine job so I keep my opinion to myself. Anything that eases the burden on Ada is worth a bit of discomfort on my part.” Legolas disentangled himself from the twins and walked to his clothespress.

                                                  “Arse? Legolas you have been around Estel far too much if you are picking up that type of language.” Elrohir arched a brow at the prince in a near perfect imitation of his formidable father. Legolas returned the gesture.

                                                  “Indeed? I will thank you to remember that it was not I who taught little Lilia to tell her sister to go kiss an orc in Sindarin.” He gave Elrohir a withering look worthy of Thranduil. “I will also thank you to remember that I held my tongue when asked about it.” Elrohir grinned, wholly unrepentant.

                                                  “As if you have not done far worse, tithen ernil [little prince or princeling]. Do not think that I do not know who doused my Grand-Adar with flour two hundred years ago.” Elrohir’s eyes gleamed with wicked amusement. He was definitely warming to this argument. Legolas pulled an innocent look.

                                                   “I had help with that one, tithen fan [little cloud, a family nickname for Elrohir]. And before you ask, no I will not tell you who.”  Legolas grinned with wicked amusement equal to Elrohir. “Did you not say that you were going to go wake your Adar?” He returned to selecting his attire for the day. Elladan clapped his twin on the shoulder.

                                                   “Come on, Elrohir. Let us go rouse Ada.” Identical evil grins appeared. Estel scrambled out of his chair after his brothers.

                                                  “You are not going to wake him until I have a chance to make a headache remedy for him,” Estel stated jutting him chin out in a very obstinate manner. The twins exchanged a look and Elladan sighed.

                                                   “Oh very well, Estel. We will accompany you to brew the tea and promise not to venture into Ada’s room until it is ready.” Elladan ruffled the human’s hair affectionately. Estel breathed a sigh of relief and went with his brothers to fix the tea.

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                                                    The sound of the heavy curtains being drawn roused Elrond from his dreams. The light hitting his face made him close his eyes tightly and groan. He had, admittedly on occasion, felt worse than he did at the moment but it was difficult to remember when. The bed he lay on shifted slightly as someone sat next to him. A cool hand rested briefly on his forehead.

                                                     “Ada, how in Illuvatar’s name did you end up trying to out-drink King Thranduil?” Elladan asked from above and to Elrond’s right. Another hand slid under his head, lifting him slightly as a cup was placed at his lips. He thought to refuse, but was prevented.

                                                        “Drink it, Ada it will sooth you’re aching head and your stomache.” Estel held the cup firmly to his foster father’s lips. Elrond gave up and drank. After resting with his eyes closed for a few minutes he was able to sit up with little discomfort and less nausea. All three of his son’s were seated on the bed awaiting the answer to the question Elladan had posed. He sighed.

                                                          “It was the result of a jest we both made at Greenglade Keep after Legolas awoke. Thranduil’s spirits needed lifting and I teased him about his affection for wine and it degenerated from that point. As I do not remember seeking my bed last night, I assume that he was the victor in our contest” Elrond massaged his temples, trying to rid himself of the residual headache he still had.

                                                           “You will have to ask him that question, I am afraid. We found you both dreaming and put you in your beds.” Elladan graced his father with a smug smirk. Elrond merely arched a brow at him, and then grinned in wicked anticipation.

                                                 “Yes, I believe I shall do just that,” He stated softly a slightly evil gleam in his eyes. “Estel, is there any tea left?” Estel nodded. “Good. Would you be so kind as to fix another cup of it for me while I dress?” All three of his sons began to grin in understanding.

                                                   “Of course, Ada.” Estel rose and went to do as his father asked. Elladan and Elrohir chatted with their father as he made himself ready for the day before leaving to pursue their own interests. Once Estel returned with the tea, Elrond made his way to the guest room occupied by Thranduil.

                                                    He opened the door soundlessly; mindful of the fact that Thranduil’s warrior reflexes were honed by millenia of dealing with the Shadow that was attempting to overrrun his realm. He set the cup on a table near the bed and drew the curtains. Thranduil stirred and grabbed the pillow, pulling it over his head with a muffled groan. Elrond chuckled softly before taking pity on the suffering elf.

                                                     “Here, mellon-nin, drink this.” Elrond held the cup out.

                                                     “No vile brews, Peredhel. I cannot stomach that so early.” Thranduil sounded so like his son that Elrond had to laugh.

                                                     “Thranduil, if I wished to poison you I would have done so last night. Trust me, this will stay in your stomach and it will ease your aching head. Think you that I have not partaken of it this morning?” Elrond’s amusement seeped from every word he spoke. With several muttered oaths, Thranduil emerged from under his pillow and took the cup from the half-elf’s hand. He sipped it cautiously and when it did not increase his nausea, he drank it down and settled back against the headboard of his bed.

                                                      “You are enjoying this, are you not?” Thranduil scowled, the pounding in his head increasing his foul humor. Elrond chuckled again, settling himself on the edge of the bed.

                                                       “Well, how else am I to avenge my loss to you last night? Be glad that I was the one that woke you. I got three out of the four young demons at my bedside.”

                                                 “Only three? Who was missing?  No wait, let me guess… Legolas was not there, am I correct?” Thranduil’s condition was beginning to improve. He chuckled, wincing only slightly. “His friends tortured him properly the last time he was wine-sick and he swore he would not do such to another soul as long as he lived. It was quite funny.” He passed a hand over his eyes for a moment before shooting a wry glance at his companion. “I believe I shall live now, Mellon. Thank you. Shall we see what our respective offspring have managed to do to your valley?”