They were only ribbons - tattered now. Their sheen hidden in the crumples, their edges torn and frayed. Wrapping the delicate fabric around his fingertips Elrond closed his eyes for a few moments, savouring the memories that they brought back. Long afternoons on the sun scorched grass, banners and flags fluttering in the summer breeze and the high pitched music of childish voices. And above all colour - the rich greens of the lush shady trees, bright blues of a cloudless sky and the red, yellow and oranges of the bright ribbons tied across a few lucky elflings' chests.

A dry sob escaped his lips. There was nothing he had that he wouldn't give to be able to spend just one day back there. A day with children whose thoughts had not yet been tainted with the evils they had seen. A day with Celebrian. . . even an hour with Celebrian. Just to let her know once again how much he loved her.

~*~

"I will win a ribbon today Ada!" Elladan said conversationally as they walked down the path to the gardens together, the small feet skipping in step with the larger ones.

Elrond smiled slightly. Modesty was not one of Elladan's virtues, the boy seeing little need to hide his pride in his accomplishments. However pride came before a fall, and this fall would hurt Elladan greatly.

"And you are sure of this?" Elrond was careful to keep his voice neutral.

"Of course I cannot be sure Ada!" The young voice held a hint of frustration at the withered brains of ancient elves. "But I am faster than the others and I have beaten them with the sword already!"

"Ah." Elrond stared off into the distant trees.

"I want to win a red ribbon!" Elladan continued cheerfully, his eyes sparkling at the anticipated glory.

Of course he did. He was Elladan, and Elladan did not appreciate coming anything other than first. Elrond wondered if he should tackle Elladan about his pride. While he did not consider it a problem at present, he could not help remembering the one comment his blond-haired friend had made to him about his famed battle.

"I was young, foolish and arrogant. I was carried away in dreams of being a hero. I was reckless, Elrond."

He would not choose such a death for his child. However honourable it may be. Even the idea of seeing one of the identical faces pale in a sleep from which they would not wake made his stomach twist.

"Aye. It would be nice should you win a ribbon. Elrohir too." Elrond spoke absentmindedly.

Elladan wrinkled his nose slightly. It would be better to have the victory wholly for himself. For he could not also hold that which Elrohir won. And he did not wish to share triumph.

"Yes Ada."

~*~

Elrohir watched his father and brother from the bedroom window as he dressed. His stomach seemed to be leaping with pent-up anticipation and excitement. Maybe today he would have the chance to shine, for his life so far had involved him coming second only to his brother in every physical pursuit. But archery. . . archery was his.

Hopping up and down on the spot to dispel his nerves he pulled his undershirt on over his head. He was not overly fond of the loose soft cotton undershirts that he and his brother wore. All the adult elves he had met wore smooth, highly embroidered undershirts of a cool linen with buttons at the neck and cuffs. Ever since he had seen them, as a tiny child sitting on the bed as he watched his father getting dressed by candlelight, he had longed for an undershirt with buttons.

"Elrohir, are you ready?" Celebrian disturbed the boy from his contemplation on the fashions of Imladris.

"Very nearly." The green tunic was pulled on with so much haste that it dragged out the braids that held his hair back from his face. Celebrian stood behind her son, steadying him with a hand on his arm.

"Here Elrohir." She deftly brushed his hair, fingers moving swiftly as she completed the braiding, fastening them rather more firmly than before with lengths of narrow leather thong. She patted the child on the shoulder. "All done."

"Thank you Ammë." Elrohir spun round and danced on the spot, his feet barely touching the ground. Then he looked hopefully up at his mother as he remembered a promise. "The displays are today."

"That I know." Celebrian's smile was kind. "And I should very much like to come and watch you."

Elrohir beamed at her and skipped around the room in excitement.

"I want you to see me shoot! They said that I may win a ribbon." He did not let his proud smile show on his face, but his eyes were dancing.

"I am looking forwards to that very much." Celebrian found to her surprise that she was telling the truth. She had never enjoyed the long boring displays that male elves found necessary to include in every celebration, but watching her son would be different.

"Ammë, will Celeborn come and watch me?" Elrohir's voice rose inquisitively.

Celebrian paused. Although he tried to hide it, she could tell that this meant more to Elrohir than he would admit. But her father. . . kind, wonderful and even loving in his own way. . . had never taking pleasure in watching the young elves she had grown up alongside. And he would not realise how much he could hurt his grandson by merely speaking the truth.

"I do not know Elrohir. Why do you not ask him?"

"Yes," Elrohir smiled suddenly at the obvious solution, "I shall go and ask him."

Celebrian made a futile grab at him as he tore down the corridor to his grandparents' bedchamber. Maybe the Lord and Lady of the Wood would find it in their hearts to appreciate an early morning wake up call.

~*~

During the years that had passed since Celebrian had departed to live in Imladris, Galadriel and Celeborn had become careless. With nobody left to burst in through their bedroom door they no longer thought to keep an ear open for approaching feet outside their door. This necessitated some speedy action when suddenly faced with an elfling who had not thought to knock.

"Good morning!" Elrohir chirped happily as he clambered onto the bed and sat at one end as he often did when visiting his parents in the morning. Having grown unused to such small children over the years Galadriel and Celeborn exchanged an awkward glance.

"Aye. It is a fine morning." Celeborn wriggled his toes as his small grandson reached under the sheets to tickle the soles of his feet. "Do not do that Elrohir!"

His voice came out more sternly than he intended - too sternly for talking to a child. Elrohir stopped immediately and retreated to Galadriel's side of the bed with a woeful look at his grandfather.

"I am sorry Celeborn." The child spoke quickly, his voice shaking a little.

"Nay. I am sorry Elrohir. I am just very prone to tickles." Celeborn smiled with concern at the boy and held out his hand. Elrohir smiled back, taking the larger hand and crawling up the bed to sit next to the older elves' faces.

Celeborn looked at him as if to appraise the boy's intentions. His face was more like his father's than his mother's but it was possible to discern the more delicate features of their side of the family. The eyes may have got their colour from Elrond, but the depth within them was that of Galadriel. The small slightly upturned nose came from their mother, but the determined set to the mouth and the firm chin had come from him. Celeborn smiled at the thought.

Galadriel watched the pair with amusement bringing light to her eyes. Celeborn had wanted a son, and although he had loved Celebrian dearly she had known that he had missed having a male heir. Only her husband - bless him - lacked practice at spending time in the company of children. She knew what Elrohir would ask of him, and only hoped that he would find it in him to humour the boy. Celeborn had reduced some of the younger archers in Lorien to tears on occasion with his sharp criticism of their skills.

"Celeborn?" Elrohir's eyes widened imploringly, "Are you going to watch the displays this afternoon?"

Celeborn began to say no, but seeing the sudden downturn of the boy's lips managed to pull off a sudden coughing fit.

"Why of course. I hear that you are competing?" Celeborn's voice was surprisingly genuine. Galadriel smirked smugly.

"I love you Celeborn!" Elrohir flung himself on his grandfather's chest, inadvertently winding him as he gave him as large a hug as a nine-year-old elfling could manage.

Galadriel treated her husband, who looked as if he had just swallowed a large mouthful of snow, to a smile that suddenly lit up her whole face.

"And I too."

Celeborn reached down, lightly touching the tips of her fingers with his own. She did not need to read his mind to know that he had heard and understood.

"Celeborn?" Elrohir's voice floated comfortably from where he was resting his cheek against Celeborn's chest.

"Yes Elrohir?" Celeborn spoke with amused tolerance.

"Why do you not wear your nightshirt?"

Celeborn and his wife exchanged a quick look.

"I was a little warm last night."

"Oh." Elrohir spoke thoughtfully. "Because you were sleeping right next to grandmother."

"Aye." This conversation was fast going into places that Celeborn did not wish to explore.

"It must be very hot." Elrohir added in a knowing voice. "Ammë and Ada take off their clothes all the time too. Why do you not open the window?"

"Elrohir." Galadriel spoke quickly and gently while her husband looked as if he might choke. "Should you not go and see if breakfast is ready?"

"Oh yes!" Elrohir leapt off the bed as easily as he had come up. He could hear the table being laid and if, as usual on Wednesday mornings, they had eggs he would need to get there as soon as possible to make sure he got his fair share. Once he had gone Galadriel turned to her husband.

"She is so very happy here."

"Aye." Celeborn got up suddenly and headed for the bathroom with surprising speed. This was one topic of conversation that he did not want to discuss.

~*~

"Breakfast!" Elladan practically threw his sword at his father and bolted up the path when he heard the bell chime. Elrond smiled to himself. Both boys were particularly fond of the dipping fingers of fresh bread into softly boiled eggs for their breakfasts. However it was never the tidiest or most formal meal and he would have chosen another day to eat with his parents-in-law if he had been able.

"See. . . this is a sword dripping orc blood!" Elrohir drew his chunk of roll out of the shell, allowing the bright yellow goo to drip back down.

"And I have a spear!" Elladan stabbed the bread into the flesh of the egg with enough force to kill an orc. Droplets of yolk splattered all over the tablecloth.

"Boys." Elrond spoke quietly, but there was a definite warning tone in his voice.

"Sorry Ada." Both boys looked down at the table, licking sticky yellow stains from their fingers.

The meal progressed unusually quietly for 'egg morning'. The two boys eyed each other across the table, grinning at some secret plan.

"May we have some more eggs please Ammë?" The twins spoke together, every syllable and tone matched. They rounded this off with identical innocent smiles.

Elrond and Celebrian who had been beginning to relax immediately switched to states of high alert.

"Of course." Celebrian served them each an egg, giving each twin a threatening look. The speaking together act was usually reserved for an occasion when they had just thought up some new mischief.

"Thank you Ammë." Speaking together the boys smiled at their mother and then, when they thought that nobody was watching grinned at each other.

"I am beheading a troll!"

"I am decapitating a dragon!"

The two voices were shouted together as two knives were swung at two eggshells. The tops of two eggs sailed together across the table, landing together in the lap of one very annoyed Lord of Imladris.

Some thirty seconds later two rather abashed elflings were standing outside the door, wiping yolk from their chins.

~*~

After a lengthy lecture on the evils of playing with one's food the twins were dispatched to play quietly in the garden, for there were no lessons on midsummer's morning and Elrond was far too busy organising the various entertainment to be practising with his sons.

"I shall race you to the fountain!" Elladan tagged his brother by tapping him lightly on the chest and darted off across the balcony with his brother in hot pursuit.

The two sprinted lightly down the steps and across the lawns. However as Elladan prepared to take the steps in a flying leap he glanced back to judge his lead. Tripping on a stick that they had once used as a sword he stumbled and went flying to the ground and tumbled head over heels down the steps.

Celebrian heard his surprised cry and immediately dropped her sewing, far outstripping her sons in her speed over the grass to where her son was sitting, clutching his wrist. In no time at all she was sitting at his side, gently prising his fingers away from around his wrist.

"Where does it hurt melin?" He did not seem badly hurt, but he had flinched as she had touched the rapidly swelling joint.

"My. . . my wrist." Elladan gasped as he struggled against tears, nuzzling up against the soft silk of his mother's dress.

Looking terribly worried Elrohir approached his brother and touched his uninjured hand. The contact seemed to comfort the pair of them, as Celebrian was then able to examine her eldest son's injury without having to fight against him. Both boys cuddled up against her body, even the steady rhythm of rise and fall of their chests in time.

~*~

Elladan lay miserably on the bed in the infirmary. He was supposed to be asleep but the medication had worn off and he had no wish to return to his dreams. There was a heavy peacefulness in the infirmary and little of the bustle of everyday life in Imladris was audible from its warm rooms. Some time ago he had heard the distant chime of the mid-day bells, and surely by now the displays would be starting.

Awkwardly he dropped down off the edge of the bed and wandered unsteadily to the chair on which someone had placed his neatly folded clothes. His wrist still throbbed slightly and was bound tightly with bandages that smelt of herbs. This made it difficult to dress, but eventually Elladan managed to wriggle into his tunic. It was on inside out and back-to-front, but at least he was dressed.

Smiling in spite of the growing pain, the boy slipped his feet into the battered moccasins and ran lightly across the room, slowing slightly when every step that jarred his wrist caused flashes of pain to travel up his arm. If he hurried he might just be in time to participate in the first event.

However he had only reached the door when his face rubbed against the soft velvet of someone's gown and he was picked up and carried back to the bed.

"But Ada I want to go to the displays!" Elladan's voice was unusually close to a whine.

Elrond sat down on the bed beside his son and placed his arm across the small shoulders.

"I am sorry Elladan. Your arm will be healed in a few days, but for now you must rest."

There was a loud sniff and Elladan's voice shook noticeably.

"But Ada. . ." Elladan paused to lick a tear from his cheek.

"I know." Elrond gently removed his son's tunic and shoes and made him comfortable on the bed once more.

"No." Elladan tried to struggle, but since his arm was hurting and he was blinded by the tears that were pouring down his cheeks, he may as well not have bothered.

"There will be other displays." Elrond lifted him easily to hold his child in his arms. "But it was this one that mattered was it not?"

Elladan nodded and might have given an affirmative sniff before he rested his face against the soft warmth of the velvet tunic and let all his tears flow.

~*~

Outside in the warmth of the afternoon sun dozens of small boys raced energetically about the glades calling and laughing to each other with happy voices. Celeborn sat comfortably on the grass, leaning against a fallen tree trunk. Curled up at his side was his daughter, smiling as she watched her son run gracefully along a rope. She was leaning her head against his shoulder and a wisp of blonde curl tickled his cheek, but he did not mind.

He had missed his daughter, and although he had expected it to fade in time, instead the sadness had grown more intense. He had missed having a child around. When you were an elf of several thousand years, the natural wonder of the world had to a large extent faded into monotony. But when accompanied by his young daughter he had been able to see the world anew - a world of freshness, the green of new leaves, the lilting song of the stream and the hope of tightly closed flower buds.

But she had left him, and he would have given his life before taking this happiness away from her. The overwhelming happiness of the look she had given him as she had repeated her vows had assured him that. But he missed her. And even the little things that reminded him of that hurt.

"Ammë!" Elrohir yelled delightedly as he bounced towards them, a ribbon bright on his chest. "We won! We won!"

Celeborn could not resist a smile at the boy's exuberance as he leapt around them, leaping on and off the log.

"I'm very proud of you." Celebrian caught his hand and pulled him down for a kiss.

"Indeed, very well done." Celeborn suddenly found that it was surprisingly easy to be around small boys. Elrohir beamed and danced over to his grandfather to show him his ribbon.

"It is orange for we came second! Second!" Elrohir's pleasure was evident in every half-laughing word he spoke.

"Aye. You did well." Celeborn ran his fingers over the ribbon, wondering when he lost the ability to derive so much joy from something so simple. "You are fast on the ropes."

Elrohir grabbed an adult's hand in each of his and danced around, pulling the father and daughter into a victory dance. Celebrian caught her father's eye and smiled both at her son's contagious joy and the obvious happiness that her father was gaining from it.

~*~

Elrohir sat on the floor of the sitting room, pulling his ribbons across his fingers while smirking at his brother. His brother did not respond, just sitting despondently in his father's lap with a book, his eyes looking unseeingly at the page.

The soft murmur of voices as his parents and grandparents conversed with the Istari was too peaceful. Too pleasant. It was not fair. He had won and nobody cared. Just because of Elladan.

"Look at all the ribbons I won." Elrohir walked over to his brother, thrusting them into his view.

Elladan did not answer.

"I won them see. Because I am the best." Elrohir continued in a provocative voice. He wanted to fight. He wanted people to get upset.

"Elrohir." Elrond's voice warned him that further taunting of his brother would not be tolerated.

Scowling Elrohir again sat down on the floor speaking himself in a very audible whisper as he counted his ribbons.

"Two red ribbons, three orange ribbons and a yellow ribbon. And Elladan has none."

Elrond sighed as he looked to his wife for support. Where he had been cuddling Elladan a moment ago, now his arm was being used more to restrain the child.

"Elrohir, do you wish to go to your room?"

"No Ada." Elrohir spoke in a slightly mocking tone. "I wish to admire my ribbons. Especially my red ribbon for fencing. I am the best at fencing."

"Elrohir." Elrond's voice rose slightly in anger. "Please go to your room."

For the love of Eru why did his children have to behave in the worst possible manner when he had guests. He could think of so many times when his children had been sweet and well behaved. . . but never in front of those whose opinions mattered.

"No I shall not!" Elrohir stood up, folding his arms in a symbol of defiance although his voice began to shake. "It is not fair! You did not even watch me! Everybody else's Ada came to watch them!"

Elrond cringed at the implication of failure in Elrohir's outburst. Why could he not understand how hard it had been to make the decision?

"Elrohir, come here child." Elrond spoke sympathetically, lifting Elladan from his lap and heading towards his other son. Parents blessed with twins should surely have each been blessed with two bodies.

"No." Elrohir was beginning to cry now. "You were not there. You do not love me."

"Of course I love you, child. Had Elladan not been hurt of course I would have watched you." The elf lord's brow wrinkled in concern as he spoke.

"Only to watch Elladan!" Elrohir wailed "You love Elladan best!"

"Come here melin." Celebrian crossed the room and attempted to cuddle Elrohir who was stiff with rage, tears running down his face. "We do not love anyone best. There is plenty of love to go round."

"You do." Elrohir began to whine, drawing out the vowel sounds as he cried. "I am so good and Ada said Elladan was difficult but you still love him better than me!"

Celebrian looked uncertainly at Elrond. He shrugged slightly, his feelings of powerlessness betrayed in his face.

"I came and watched you Elrohir. So did your grandfather." Celebrian's voice held the tone of someone trying to pacify a Balrog with maple drops.

"Nobody cares that I won. Nobody cares that I practised so hard." Elrohir stopped sobbing to take a noisy intake of breath before screeching at his parents. "I hate you! I hate you!"

"Elrohir. Child." Elrond sighed as he stepped towards the child who threw the precious ribbons at him and turned and ran. Rubbing the bridge of his nose Elrond returned to his seat. He tried to remember how Gil-galad had dealt with such outbursts - if either he or Elros had ever treated him to such a display. He could not remember it happening.

"It is not your fault." Celebrian took his hand, rubbing his palm with her thumb. Hysterical outbursts were a trait of her side of the family but while her Ammë had always managed to keep a no-nonsense attitude while she sobbed, she was unable to pull it off herself.

"Elrond, how is your river for fishing?" Galadriel spoke briskly, hoping to move the conversation on.

"Indeed, I must believe it is quite magnificent for the salmon we had last night was delicious." Mithrandir supported her with as unruffled a comment as he could think of.

"It is well." Elrond said tiredly. He felt over stretched. He had a community to govern, a people to protect and guests to entertain. His wife was looking distressed, his elder son was sitting silently looking sadly between his parents and somewhere in the halls of Imladris his youngest was crying his eyes out. "All is well".

~*~

Elrohir ran blindly down the halls eventually ending up in the east wing. Since his father was Lord of Imladris there was nowhere he could go that he could not follow. Nowhere that he could hide that his father did not know existed. He had his brother had decided long ago that they only way to escape was to squeeze into a place too small for any other to follow.

Climbing on a window seat and then a small table, Elrohir managed to scramble into a small gap between a column and a statue. He had grown since he had last used this hiding place and it was cosier than he had anticipated. In fact if he were to breathe at all he would have to leave at least some of himself exposed. He was about to go and find a better hiding place when he heard the soft sound of elven feet coming up the corridor.

He shrunk into the stonework but the footsteps paused and a hand rapped lightly on his protruding elbow.

"Why do you hide child?" The voice was kind but it belonged to Erestor. Miserably Elrohir turned around.

"I am playing." It was an outright lie and Elrohir immediately blushed furiously.

"You are crying." Erestor observed awkwardly as he tried to remember how Glorfindel had reacted. "What has made a grown boy like you cry?"

Erestor winced slightly as he heard the words come out of his mouth. He had not meant them to sound like that. Elrohir's shoulders sagged and the tear- stained face frowned.

"I am not crying."

"Yes you are." Erestor spoke in a genuinely puzzled voice.

"I am not!" Elrohir's voice rose dangerously. Erestor took a few steps backwards.

"But child. . ." Erestor could not hide his exasperation as he spoke.

"Good evening Erestor." Glorfindel called in a cheerful voice as he skimmed his way down the corridor. "Ai, Elrohir. What has upset you?"

Erestor felt he had no choice but to withdraw as Glorfindel came to a halt by his side and shifted Elrohir into his arms with no resistance whatsoever. Elrohir sobbed out a jumble of words that both elves were completely unable decipher.

"All that?" Glorfindel rubbed the boy's back, attempting to soothe the sobs.

Feeling unwanted and unappreciated Erestor stalked away, the annoyed slant to his shoulders ignored as Glorfindel tried to comfort the child.

~*~

Elrohir snivelled as Glorfindel carried him into a large sitting room and sprawled on one of the benches, setting the boy down gently. It was a large room with many seats and bookcases, warmed by a crackling fire. Since its occupants included several of Glorfindel's friends, the peaceful effect of low tables and soft rugs was ruined by the dull rasp of a sword being sharpened and the glint of firelight on metal as someone demonstrated his skill at dagger work. Hidden away in a corner Erestor was reading a book, a slightly disapproving expression on his fair face. He could not understand why Elrond had suggested that he shared a sitting room with this particular group of elves.

"And what bothers the youngest son of Lord Elrond this evening?" Glorfindel spoke lightly but his eyes were darkened with concern.

Elrohir looked up sadly at Glorfindel, the tear-filled grey eyes large in his face.

"I feel sad." He announced in a quiet voice.

Glorfindel allowed himself a small smile. He had not known the twins since babyhood to be unable to detect their simplest emotions.

"Really?"

Elrohir nodded, moving up a hand to cover his nose and mouth.

"And what makes Master Elrohir sad tonight? For I watched him triumph above all others this afternoon."

Elrohir smiled, sitting up a little straighter in his pride.

"I did." The smile faded. "But Ada does not care. He loves Elladan best."

The blond eyebrows shot up.

"Oh?" Elrohir's chin began to quiver so Glorfindel sat up and scooped the boy into his lap. Across the room Erestor's eyes had moved from the page and were now firmly focussed on the pair. "What happened Elrohir?"

"Ada did not watch me." Elrohir lowered his eyes sadly. "And he does not care that I have won. Everyone cares when Elladan wins."

Glorfindel sighed and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind a pointed ear while he thought of a suitable answer.

"He does care Elrohir. He cares very much. But he would not leave either of you boys alone when you needed him."

"I needed him today." Elrohir's eyes flashed with an anger that threw Glorfindel slightly off guard. He was well used to small upsets and tantrums, but this was new.

"No Elrohir, you wanted him today. You wanted to show him that which he already knew. Your Ada does not need ribbons to love you." Glorfindel frowned as he thought. "But Elladan needed him badly."

"Elladan did not need him! Elladan slept!" Elrohir wriggled away angrily from the comforting hand on his arm, but as he considered what Glorfindel had said he relaxed slightly.

Glorfindel smiled a little sadly, his eyes worried.

"Elladan was very upset Elrohir. Your Ada would never leave you whilst you were crying."

"Elladan does not cry." Elrohir said in a confident voice. Then looking up at Glorfindel's face with an expression that was both worried and curious he asked, "Did he?"

"It was very important to him. He had practised so hard." Glorfindel had been slightly worried about the intensity of the child's determination, wondering whether he should talk to him about the relative importance of winning and participating. But yet he had been much the same when younger.

"Oh." Elrohir's lips began to pucker up at the thought of his twin being that upset. Glorfindel sighed at the impossibilities of comforting young elves and set Elrohir on the floor. "Do you want to go to him?"

He had thought that the young twins were growing apart, but in some ways they grew closer as they aged. Their shared concept of the other's pain had increased, but unfortunately the ability to share pleasure in the other's joy had not yet developed.

Elrohir hesitated, transferring his weight from one foot to another.

"They will be angry with me." His voice was but a whisper but the sharp ears of the blond elf caught both the words and the ashamed tone.

"And why would that be?" Glorfindel glanced at the setting sun and his friends as they left the room. He would need to change soon for dinner, and if he was not mistaken then Elrohir should also be preparing himself to attend.

Elrohir went red and looked towards the door. Glorfindel grinned.

"Did you shout and stomp?"

"I do not stomp." Elrohir replied with much dignity, his grey eyes narrowed. The blond elf laughed merrily, his eyes far away as he recalled some long forgotten memory.

"You do not? I did."

"You did?" Elrohir's voice was at one shocked that the esteemed elf-lord would ever resort to stomping, and proud that he should choose to share this secret with him.

"Aye. Whenever I did not approve of the happenings." Glorfindel's eyes twinkled as he guessed what Elrohir was thinking. "I was something of a trial."

"Did. . ." Elrohir lowered his voice impressively, "Did Ada stomp?"

Glorfindel tried to imagine his friend as a tiny elfling. It was surprisingly difficult, for although he could well imagine two and a half feet of quivering half-elven fury, Elrond seldom spoke of his parents or the King who had taken him in when he had no other. And for his part Glorfindel had little wish to stir up unpleasant memories.

"Well he has not spoken of it. But I would presume that he would have stomped with great dignity."

Elrohir giggled gleefully at the image that Glorfindel had conjured up. Glorfindel laughed at the child's delight and took his hand, leading him to the door.

"Do you feel any better now?" Glorfindel paused by the door to his room, leaning against the carved wooden frame.

"A little." Elrohir looked at the floor, his voice suddenly becoming wistful. "It was just I thought. . . I thought that it would be special."

Glorfindel wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulders. He was beginning to feel out of his depth.

"You are special Elrohir." Thinking quickly he led the child into his bedroom and rummaged through some drawers until he found a soft leather pouch that had remained undisturbed for nearly ten years. "Here. I have something for you. I had meant to wait until you had grown a little more, but I think that you should have yours now."

Elrohir's eyes grew round as Glorfindel disentangled the two identical objects in the pouch and carefully drew one out and placed it in his palm.

"It. . .it is beautiful." Elrohir gently stroked the gift with his index finger. Strung on a thin silver chain was a pale opal, carved into the shape of an eagle. In the candlelight the stone reflected all the colours of the rainbow when turned.

"It was meant to show that you should never be without a friend. I owe Thorondor and his kin a great kindness." Glorfindel's face looked sad for a moment but then the light in his eyes returned with a mischievous gleam. "In any case I owe you an eagle."

Elrohir gave the blond elf an anxious look but relaxed when Glorfindel ruffled his hair.

"Thank you Glorfindel." Elrohir fumbled to fasten the pendant, smiling as he touched the tiny eagle once more.

"It is my pleasure child. Keep it well." He had had it made prior to the twins' birth, unable to decide on a suitable gift with which to welcome his best friend's firstborn into the world. They had been in his safe keeping until the twins reached their majority, but he felt there was no risk in trusting Elrohir with his now. He was a careful child.

Elrohir skipped over to wrap his arms firmly around Glorfindel's waist. Glorfindel bent down to return the hug, ignoring the sudden painful thought that he would wish for a child of his own. He would wish for a wife of his own. His own family.

"I must get changed for the feast." Glorfindel pulled away regretfully and gave the child a small push towards the door. "So must you."

Elrohir lingered by the open door, fiddling with his hair.

"Ada will be angry." He murmured apprehensively.

"Shall I talk to your Ada?" Glorfindel asked kindly, and was answered with a nod. "Very well, but now I really must change if your Ada is to talk to me at all this evening."

~*~

The Hall of Fire was full of merry, laughing elves. Several of the youngest among them had impulsively taken partners and begun dancing with carefree abandon down the centre of that hall. Even those who would normally disapprove were smiling and laughing tolerantly caught up in the invigorating atmosphere of the occasion.

Celeborn and Erestor were deep in conversation; Erestor a little flushed at having such an important Elf Lord willing to talk to him. He had a habit of agreeing with whatever Celeborn said, making discussion somewhat difficult, but further improving the older elf's mood.

Elrond was sitting in his chair at the end of the hall flanked by his friends and family. Glorfindel was sitting to his left and had made it his business to ensure that his friend joined in the spirit of the occasion. The blond elf refilled goblets with great gusto and grinned as he spoke, his fair face animated by his amusement at his own joke. And it seemed to be working, for the frown lines in his friend's brow had disappeared and the Lord of Imladris was talking and laughing as merrily as any over- stimulated elfling.

Celebrian sat on her husband's right, listening intently to the music and laughing at the dancing younglings. Elrohir, subdued and sleepy after his outburst, was curled up on her lap in a warm and cuddly bundle.

Galadriel watched them all, her pleasure gained more from watching her daughter and family than the entertainment on offer. It amused her to see the sideways glances that her husband gave Glorfindel as he broke into peals of merry laughter at his punch line. Celeborn was still some way from regaining his appreciation of the valiant elf lord.

Only one small figure appeared to be immune from the happiness that enveloped Imladris this midsummer's night. Sitting hunched on the floor by his mother's feet, Elladan's feelings were clearly stated by the downturn of his mouth and the depressed sag of his shoulders. But his mother's lap was already occupied, and the twins felt that they were now too old to crawl uninvited into the arms of their father or any other unsuspecting guest.

It had been a long time since she had cuddled one so young. But she did not feel that she could leave him to sit there, dejected and alone. Quietly she touched his shoulder and indicated that he could come to her should he wish.

The boy was on his feet and climbing into her arms in no time, the sleepy head resting contentedly against his grandmother's body. He was not yet aware of the power that she held or the ring that she wielded, caring only that he was being cuddled. .