Elrond carefully placed the figures back into the box and covered the small legions with a layer of soft cloth to keep them cushioned and safe. Not that they really needed that kind of care. They had survived many years of play, mistreatment and rough love. He had rescued them from roofs, fished them out of ponds, and touched up the paintwork so many times that he could no longer remember the original colour. He had not wanted to spoil his sons with too many treats and toys for such young children to appreciate, but those that they had had been used almost constantly for years. Mind you, they had often used things that were not strictly toys for their own purposes on numerous occasions.

The large barrels used to store potatoes and apples throughout the winters were a case in point. As very tiny elflings they had loved playing inside them, pretending to be dwarves in Moria, but by their ninth summer they had found more inventive uses for them - especially the thick round wooden lids studded with blackened nails. Some were classics such as the rather dangerous swing that he and Glorfindel had once made the boys by threading a thick rope through the centre hole in one of the lids, and stringing it from a old oak tree that hung over a steep drop to a pond. Others however were new to them, and one in particular had - rather uncharacteristically - been introduced by their grandfather.

~*~

Celeborn walked slowly down grey-lit passageway, the stone paving smooth and cold under his bare feet, and passed softly through the high arched doorway that led into the twins' bedroom. The dawn was just breaking over the hills and the still air had the cool freshness that promised of another hot and dry day.

The boys both lay peacefully in their slumbers, one sprawled on his stomach with his arms encircling his head, and the other curled up, resting his right cheek on his clenched fist. Their dark hair fell forward over their flushed faces and their lashes flickered slightly as they wandered in their dream worlds.

Moving silently, Celeborn crossed to a large rocking chair that had once been Celebrian's traditional seat as she fed and tended to her babies, and sat down on the edge of the seat, using his feet to steady the rockers lest the noise wake the children. All was soft and silent in the House of Elrond as yet, the valley of Imladris enveloped in watchful peace, and it would remain that way for some hours yet. Smiling a little, Celeborn settled back in the chair. When they woke he had a suggestion to make to them, but for the present he was content to watch for a while and remember.

~*~

"He would not come." Celeborn said loudly, striding into the bedchamber that he shared with his wife and drumming his fingers in irritation on the wooden chest on which the basin was set. "He said that he would rather practice archery."

"Elladan?" Galadriel raised her face from the basin and held out a hand. Her husband automatically reached to the pile of soft clean towels and unfolded it, being careful to keep the embroidered daisy chains away from the side on which his wife would dry her face. Celebrian would have worked on those stitches herself, working smoothly and carefully, trying to find the most appealing combination of colours. He had a similar towel at home, one that was good for no further use, but he could not bear to throw it out. She had worked so hard on it that summer, pricking her fingers and mistakenly sewing the fabric to her dress, and the memory of her determination and effort was kept safe inside every wobbling and misshapen petal. Apparently unaware of her husband's thoughts, Galadriel took the towel and patted her wet face. "My thanks. Did he say why?"

Celeborn shook his head with no small amount of irritation. "He gave no apology or reason. He merely repeated his assertion."

"That did not please you." Galadriel stated calmly as she put the damp towel down and surveyed her face in the mirror. "You wished the boy to join you."

"No, it is not that." Celeborn said firmly, fetching a pair of socks from a drawer of their dresser. "I shall have Elrohir. I care not whether the child accompanies me or not."

"Oh," Galadriel's eyebrows arched elegantly upwards. "You are speaking rather loudly for one that does not care."

Celeborn frowned deeply and sat down heavily on the bed, lowering his voice nevertheless. "I worry that he may become upset. He will not admit that he wishes to come."

Galadriel nodded slowly as she plaited some fine braids to keep her hair from her face. "He should rest from his archery today. His hands are sore and it will be a long day for him tomorrow. Ask him again."

Celeborn scowled at this order and dragged his boots toward his feet with an inelegant speed. "He did not wish to come. I shall not grovel at his feet."

"But you wish him to come." Galadriel said gently, searching through a small wooden box for the brooch that she wished to wear. "Do you not?"

Her voice was softly questioning, but her demeanour did not fool Celeborn for a moment. She knew what bothered him, just as she had always done. She would not interfere in his affairs unasked, but slowly, subtly she would make comments and advice that would bring him round to her thinking.

"He brings back memories of one that I love." Celeborn frowned slightly and undid the top three holes of his boots to adjust the lacing. "One that I miss."

Galadriel looked at him for a moment then slowly crossed the room to sit at his side. She rested the fingers of one hand onto the back of one of her husband's and applied slight pressure in a gesture of comfort. "The trees are quiet without her. The woods have not been the same since she left."

"No." Celeborn said shortly, shaking his head with a grim look. He rarely spoke of the depth of his sorrow at not seeing his daughter each day, and when he did, it was seldom aloud. After a moment's silence he resumed in an impassioned voice. "He is so stubborn and determined. He does not know of his place and he cares not for it. The child must always have his own way!"

"He is nine. You are not." Galadriel said sternly, the severity of her words lessened by a beautiful smile. "And of those that I love, it is not Celebrian I see in him."

~*~

Elladan swung grumpily back and forth on the swing, sometimes trailing his moccasins in the dust, and sometimes using his legs to bounce himself off the trunk of the tree with a satisfying and disgruntled thud.

He had said that he did not want to go with his grandfather, but he did now. He had wanted to then really, but Celeborn had asked Elrohir, and he was too proud to go if he was only going because someone felt sorry for him. He wanted to be Elladan, not "Elladan too". He had never had to be second best before now. Elrohir probably did not even want him to go anyway.

Thud. Elladan kicked back off the tree with all his force, trying to make himself fly up the old gnarled branches and the thick green shadow of the leaves.

They would be getting ready to go without him. Elrohir would be running to fetch his oldest shorts and tunic and the brightly painted wooden ball that they used for throwing and catching games. Ammë had gone to fill the old picnic satchel with sandwiches and apples, and ginger biscuits because they were Elrohir's favourite. There would be some bandages and soothing lotion too, knowing Ammë, and a set of spare clothes. He did not know what his grandfather would be doing, but he was sure that it would be something fun and exciting. He had told Elrohir that he would teach him something new that their mother had once enjoyed. Although he had tried to pretend that no proper boy would want to do anything a girl liked doing, Elrohir had known that he had been lying.

Thud. Elladan kicked back again, watching the colours of the leaves blur together beneath him. If he looked up he could quickly catch glimpses of blue sky or bright sunlight filtering down through the canopy highlighting the corners and edges of leaves a lighter green.

He had thought that his grandfather had liked him a bit better now, especially since they had been practising fencing together, but if he wished to go off with Elrohir again and have adventures then perhaps he had been wrong. Maybe with grandparents if somebody did not like you at first then they would never like you. His Ada had always said that he felt sorry for those that could not forgive, but Celeborn and Galadriel were an awful lot older and wiser than Ada. No wonder Glorfindel had always said that you should think hard before getting cross with anyone. He did not think that he wanted to stay angry with Celeborn and Cirdan forever.

Thud. Swinging by yourself when your brother and grandfather were going off on a picnic together was not actually very fun, even if you got to keep the swing all to yourself. There was nobody to be impressed by how high you could swing, and nobody to scramble on together with and pretend to be sailing a ship in the sky. Elrohir and his grandfather were probably almost ready to leave by now. He had heard his grandfather speak to his Ada about scrambling up the mountain path to the gully with the rapids. He had not been up there yet this summer, but it was the perfect place for a picnic and ramble. He and his brother had always played 'Hide and Seek' together behind the boulders and they had found a large flat rock a little way away from the river that you could slide down. The water was all frothy and bubbly and it would be nice and cold even on such a hot day as this.

The track up to the gully wound its way round some steep hillsides and past crab apple and rowan trees. The rowanberries would be ripe by now, bright clusters of reds and oranges amongst the leaves, and they made a sharp fruity smell when crushed between their fingers. Last summer, he and Elrohir had each gathered a handful of berries and had spent the remainder of the journey ambushing Glorfindel and bombarding him from their positions deep in the heather and bracken.

"Elladan!" A voice said loudly, and the child attempted to spin round, trying to see who had sneaked up on him. "Be careful!"

A wise warning, for it was really rather difficult to balance on a swing when twisting round, and even more difficult to see the tree approaching when you were looking the other way.

"Ouch!" The swing hit the tree with a muffled thud, throwing Elladan off into the long grass and deep green dock leaves.

"Elladan!" Rather alarmed at his grandson's hasty and not particularly graceful dismount, Celeborn began dashing across the grass to the child's side, only slowing slightly when Elladan sat slowly up, rubbing his head with a rather dazed expression. "Are you all right?"

The elfling pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked at his grandfather who had knelt down beside him with an expression of confusion.

"I fell off." The child sounded honestly surprised, as if this was not something that he had ever considered before. "I already had a big bruise."

"Aye." Frowning slightly, Celeborn gently lifted the child's hand away from his temple and brushed the dark hair away from the discoloured patch. "And now you have a little cut too."

"Is it bleeding?" Elladan asked with more interest than worry, and lifted a finger to rub at the wound.

"It has already stopped." Celeborn said solemnly and caught the small hand in his to avoid the child rubbing off the forming scab. "It will soon be better."

"Oh." Elladan leant back against the older elf's knees and picked some bits of bark and leaf off his tunic. "Why did I have to hit my head where it already hurt, Celeborn?"

"I do not know, little one." Celeborn helped the boy into his arms and got to his feet, lifting Elladan up to lightly press his lips against the wounded forehead. "Does it hurt badly?"

Elladan shook his head quickly, burying his head into the long silvery hair so that nobody would suspect that he had tears in his eyes. Despite that his grandfather patted his back gently, and it felt so comforting that he did not wriggle away, and by the time that they reached the steps up to the north hallway he felt ready to be set back down on the ground again.

"Elrohir will be sad without you, Elladan." Celeborn grasped his grandson's hand in his own and walked slowly down the hall, giving the child time to jump on only every third stone and hop on the ones engraved with leaves or stars.

Elladan did not respond, frowning as he considered first jumping to the star stone and then the leaf stone, or simply swinging on his grandfather's arm to his desired target. Celeborn's arm felt good and strong, and it was not as if it would drop off.

"I would be sad without you," throwing his dignity to the wind, Celeborn crouched down opposite the boy. "Will you please come, Elladan?"

Elladan scowled for a moment as if making an important decision, then smiled suddenly. "All right then. If you really want me to."

"I would like that." Celeborn grinned down at his grandchild and began striding along the wide passageway that led to the courtyard. "Let us find your brother!"

Elrohir was standing alone in the courtyard, looking rather dejected as he kept guard over the satchel, a rolled up rug, and a pile of smooth round wooden lids. There were three lids, and when he saw them coming Elrohir's face lit up and he jumped up and down waving, letting both of their special swimming towels fall to the ground. "Elladan! Elladan!"

"'Ro!" Elladan let go of his grandfather's hand and sprinted along the hallway and leapt down some steps with arms outstretched, eager to reach his brother's side and tell him the exciting news. "I am coming 'Ro!"

Cheering loudly, Elrohir grabbed both his brother's hands and bounced on his toes as he explained all about their plans in a very loud and high- pitched voice, clearly audible across the courtyard. Giving an apologetic look to the guards on duty, Celeborn walked over to join them and handed a towel and barrel lid to each child before picking up the remaining items himself.

"Now, are we ready?" Celeborn grabbed each child by the hand to prevent them skipping around him at dizzying speed, and looked up to the balcony to share a secret smile with his daughter. "We should be going if we wish to swim before we eat."

"Yes!" Elrohir danced on the spot, seeming not to notice that his brother had come to an abrupt halt. "Come on, Celeborn! Let's go!"

Celeborn started across the courtyard, but was held back by his elder grandson dragging his feet and looking miserably at the ground.

"Elladan," the Lord of Lorien bent down to look at the child, admirably controlling his frustration, "Are you not going to come?"

"Yes. . ." Elladan hesitated, rubbing his left moccasin against his other ankle

"Yes?" Celeborn frowned as he tried to understand what had caused the child's sudden change of heart.

"But. . ." Elladan sucked in his top lip and tugged on Celeborn's arm, swinging himself in semicircles. He wanted to go so badly, but if he was not invited then there was bound not to be enough for him to eat, and then everybody would wish that he had not come after all. "But I shall not be hungry."

Raising his silver brows questioningly at the child's unhappy murmur, the Lord of Lorien looked hard at his grandson. Celebrian had always been such an easy child compared to this one, and he was not used to these complex guessing games. Fortunately, before he could become too frustrated, he noticed the uneasy looks that Elladan was giving the satchel that he had slung over his shoulder.

"There is enough packed for you, Elladan. Do not worry." Celeborn looked down at the elder twin's face and smiled kindly. "I did not intend to leave you behind."

~*~

"And now? Can we go now?"

"I am ready!"

The twins stood waist deep in the fast flowing river, the frothing water surging around their shorts, and the barrel covers bobbing eagerly in the wake. The river was wide and deep at this point in its path, rushing down across the rapids and smooth water-carved stones as it swept through the heather and gorse covered highlands.

"Already? You are quick!" Celeborn finished unlacing his boots and leapt from the high side of the bank, gathered two small tunics and damp pairs of moccasins into his arms to place them in a safe nook under an overhanging boulder, and crossed the shingle to step into the icy water. He had brought up a third, larger barrel cover for himself, and while it would not allow him to float and ride as the twins would do, if should make it easier to keep a watchful eye on the children. "Now, this shall help you."

He took two short lengths of thin rope and knotted each through the hole in the barrel covers before forming a thin loop on the other end for the boys to wear about their wrists. He did not wish either to lose their lid and then launch into a tearful squabble over the ownership of the remaining one.

"Elladan." He handed one loop to the elder twin, and held the other open for Elrohir to thread his hand through. "You do not wish to let them float away."

Once the lids were loosely fastened to their wrists, the twins found it hard to contain their excitement. They let their lids go to bob a little way downstream before pulling them back to repeat the exercise, and jumped and splashed in the water. Although the river came down from the glaciers of the Misty Mountains and was icy even in summer, the sunshine was warm and there was little wind, so the coolness of the water was welcome in the heat.

"Can we go now?" Elladan asked impatiently, throwing himself bodily onto his lid so that he lay supported on the buoyant wood, his face inches from the clear water.

"Please?" Elrohir grabbed hold of his grandfather's bare shoulder, supporting himself as he struggled to find his balance on the lid. The wood bobbed away from under him when he tried to sit normally, and it took quite a while to find a position that was both comfortable and steady. "I think I am ready, Celeborn."

At his younger grandson's serious assertion, Celeborn removed his arm from around the younger child's back and grabbed hold of his own barrel lid as he used his leg to prevent the elfling from floating off. The water was rushing past them, eager to race down the long winding path to the sea, and pulling on their floats. Both boys seemed to be safely perched on their lids, and were only managing to contain their impatience and excitement with great difficulty. Grinning at his grandsons' bright smiles and wide eyes, Celeborn leapt onto the float and with a loud battle cry released the children.

"For Imladris!"

"Imladris!"

The twins' roars echoed over the valley at the same moment, and the three went rushing down the rapids, surging along with the foaming water.

~*~

After many rides and finally tired out, the twins and their grandfather traipsed up the narrow path at a slow pace, abandoning the barrel lids at the shingle beach and continuing up the slope to sit in the shelter of a small cairn on a minor highpoint in the flat of the valley. The boys were cold and hungry and after spending a few minutes watching them bicker over towels as they attempted to pull their tunics over damp and shivering bodies, Celeborn sat down on a large flat stone, bundled a child onto each knee and wrapped a large woollen rug around the three of them.

A little abashed by this treatment at an age of very nearly ten but really rather grateful of the warmth nevertheless, the twins rather half-heartedly showed their displeasure by pulling at the blanket in an attempt to ensure that they got their fair share. Chuckling inwardly at the way their mock scowls kept breaking into contented smiles, Celeborn wrapped an arm around each child's back and drew them close to his body. They cuddled up to him, pressing their bodies against his own and drawing the tickling woven wool up to their chins and noses. He could feel their hearts beating steadily in perfect rhythm, and the intensity of their shivers becoming less frequent as they became warmer and their cold clammy shorts began to dry.

It was beautiful up here, sitting up on the bare and windswept peak, and looking out over the bleak expanse of the highlands. The rough ground swept up to the proud brown and grey hills into the distance. Granite boulders and rocky outcrops mingled with the pinks and purples of heather and the bright yellow of the gorse. Here and there berry bushes would grow on the banks, promising a few sour wild red currants, or bilberries that would stain their faces and hands with purple juice.

"Celeborn," A tentative voice disturbed the ancient elf from his reverie and shaking his head slightly he turned his attention down to his younger grandson and listened, "is it time to eat yet?"

The child's grey eyes were intent, and when Celeborn turned to his satchel he found that Elladan had already reached for it and was leaning out from his arms to fumble at the buckles with cold fingers.

"You are hungry?" The Lord of Lorien spoke with a hint of laughter as he swung the bulging satchel into his own lap and deftly undid the straps and fastenings. It seemed as if his grandsons had inherited his daughter's talent for seeking out food from wherever it was hidden. "Already?"

"Already?" Elladan exclaimed scornfully. "I bet it is nearly dinnertime, let alone midday!"

"No. . ." Elrohir said slowly, frowning as he surveyed the position of the sun in the sky. "It is but an hour or two past noon. But I am very hungry, Celeborn!"

Grinning at the firmness of the child's assertion, Celeborn nodded proudly at the child's correct identification of the time, unwrapped three overfilled ham and cheese rolls and handed them around to his grandsons' eager fingers. "As am I, Elrohir. As am I."

Elrohir gratefully took his sandwich, and leant back against his grandfather's shoulder to eat it. "Thank you."

"Thank. . ." Elladan took a huge bite of his roll and chewed and swallowed with a speed that suggested that he had been starving for months rather than merely since breakfast time. "Thank you, Celeborn."

The trio sat in companionable silence as they ate, the twins leaning heavily against their grandfather as they watched the breeze rustle through the rushes and create ripples on the slower flowing water of the pools. Finally as their hunger waned and they settled into nibbling shapes out of biscuits, their conversation once again bubbled up excitedly.

"Can we go on the rapids again?" Elladan swivelled around on his grandfather's bare knee to look pleadingly at him. "I think that if I balanced just right I could stand. . ."

"No." Celeborn said firmly, pressing a finger to the child's mouth to silence the inevitable protest. There were many rocks and boulders amidst the rapids and whilst the elflings were quite safe crouched or sprawled on the wooden floats, he had no wish to have to explain to his daughter how one or the other child had managed to break their legs or arms. "But if you sit, then we shall."

Elladan nodded happily at this. He had not really expected his grandfather to agree with his plan, and since his other idea - holding hands as they descended the rapids - had not been banned, he still had a fun afternoon ahead of him.

"We shall show you the sliding rock!" Elrohir promised cheerfully, scrambling up onto his feet to balance on his grandfather's leg and pointed across the river to a large boulder behind some gorse bushes whilst gripping the large shoulder with his other hand. "You can slip right down really fast!"

"And we shall play 'Hide and Seek'," Elladan grinned mischievously. Celeborn would not know of the hollowed out cave underneath one of the boulders. He and his brother would both be able to lie in the low cleft, sniggering as they watched their grandfather search high and low for them. "It is fun here."

"Very well," Celeborn lifted first one elfling then the other down onto the ground and rubbed the towel quickly over their wet hair. He handed a tunic to each boy, reflecting that a vigorous running and chasing game to warm up their small bodies seemed to be in order. "Shall I count to twenty?"

~*~

Eventually as the afternoon wore on and the shadows lengthened, the twins of Imladris and their grandfather returned to the valley - Elrohir hand in hand with the older elf and Elladan gleefully riding high on the muscular shoulders, reaching to grasp all the brightest bunches of berries and the highest leaves.

"I can. . . I have a crab apple!" Elladan leant unwisely far from his grandfather's shoulders to grab at a branch and pull it toward him to access the small red and yellow fruit. "Yummy!"

"Elladan," Elrohir hopped up and down on the path, trying to grab hold of one of his brother's dangling feet, "Can you pass me one?"

"Stop tickling then!" Elladan ordered, lifting up his left leg to avoid his brother's fingers. "Here."

Elladan leant down to hand his brother his crab apple before stretching back up to fetch two more - one for himself and one for his grandfather. "They are tasty!"

"Not too many, boys." Celeborn dutifully ate his fruit, wondering how children that could detect a small amount of turnip in with their carrots and swede seemed not to notice that these were still rather under-ripe as yet. "They have not yet had time to become sweet."

"I like them anyway." Elladan informed him, throwing the stalk into a hazel bush beside the path. "They make our tongues curl up."

"And," Elrohir finished swallowing his apple, "if you chew it up and suck the juice through your teeth it is delicious!"

"Aye," Celeborn said doubtfully, then darted an arm down to pin the child against his leg and tickle his stomach mercilessly. "But if you eat too many, your tummy will go all wurgly."

"No. . . no. . . stop!" Elrohir squealed, dropping down onto to his knees where he knew that his grandfather would not be able to reach him without risking dropping Elladan. "Not that wurgly!"

Chuckling, Celeborn held out a hand to help Elrohir back to his feet. "If you eat too many then your tummy will not want to do archery tomorrow."

"No." Elrohir bounced back up to his feet with a smile, but Celeborn felt Elladan stiffen slightly. Not aware of this, Elrohir continued happily. "I want to come first! I have been practising really hard. My training master told me that I deserved to win."

Frowning deeply, Elladan glowered down at his brother and gripped his grandfather's hair rather more tightly than was necessary. Training masters should not take sides. That was unfair. Nobody had told him that he deserved to win, and he had tried hard too.

"I shall get to be the first." Elrohir beamed, skipping nimbly over a rock. Squinting against the sun he looked up at his brother and smiled broadly. "You always get to come first, Elladan, but tomorrow I shall have a turn."

Elladan's frown lessened slightly, and he kicked his foot against his grandfather's chest with enough force to make the Lorien elf catch hold of it to prevent further assaults. He had never thought about it that way, but perhaps Elrohir felt unhappy and frustrated like this every time they had contests. But he could not do, because he always smiled and was excited about them.

"Everyone shall be nice to you, and Ammë shall make your favourite things for the picnic." Elrohir nodded seriously at his brother and smiled slightly as he contemplated the upcoming contest. "But when you win, Ada always gives you a special hug and looks proud, and Glorfindel will throw you up in the air and cheer. I think I would like that."

Interested by the conversation but feeling that he should not interfere, Celeborn kept a carefully bland expression and walked as smoothly as he could manage to avoid disturbing the pair.

"But. . . but Ada always says how proud he is of you." Elladan said slowly, trying to think of what happened to Elrohir when they finished the contests. To his shame he could think of little but his own jealousy when Glorfindel would set him down to play rough and tumble with Elrohir. "You have fun too!"

He was sure that Elrohir had fun. Why else would he have spent the night before the last contest listening to him chatter about it? If he did not like not winning then why did he not just refuse to take part?

"Yes. . ." Elrohir bit his lip slightly and looked up thoughtfully at his brother. "But it will be nice to be special just once. I would like the other elves to tell Ammë and Ada how well I have done, instead of talking about you all the time."

"They talk about me?" Elladan asked, perking up a little.

"All the time." Elrohir said a little grumpily. "About how good you are at everything, and how proud Ada must be, and how you will be a great captain when you are older. They never say anything about me."

"Oh." Elladan said worriedly, frowning as he thought. No wonder Elrohir never said well done to him when he won. He did not think that he would enjoy contests at all if he lost all the time. Smiling a little, he leant down to pat his brother's shoulder. "They will tomorrow though, 'Ro."
~*~

To the twins' disappointment, once they reached home and had told everyone all about their exciting day and the new game that they had learnt, Celeborn had slumped into one of the chairs on the terrace and refused to move - even when tempted with the prospect of practising fencing or archery. Eventually Celebrian took pity on her father, and sent the two excited little boys away to play elsewhere for a while - Elrohir to fetch his flute and run off to a lesson with Erestor, and Elladan down to the meadows and woodlands to play with his friends.

Unfortunately though, Elladan was not sure that he wanted to play with his friends today. There was always the worry that boys from his training group would be there, and if there were many of them, then they often would not let him join in with their games. Although Iorwë would always run to play with him if asked, Elladan did not want to play with someone so much younger than him all the time. And in any case if Iorwë played with him too much, then people might begin being mean to him too, and he did not want that.

Lost in thought, Elladan wandered wherever his feet took him, drifting down through the trees towards the meadows and river. Not quite willing to go and join in the noise and activity of the games, he walked slowly around the edge of the woods to a small hollow where they often made snow forts in the winter. It faced south and was sheltered from the harsh winds by a steep rock wall that was covered in ivy and creepers. The ground in the hollow was covered in dry leaves and hay that they had hoarded from when one of the nearby fields was baled. The sun was bright through the sparse trees, and he could watch the other boys playing 'Fishnets' - a game where children took it in turns to try and run through the other team's net of held hands. It was a favourite game of his, but he did not feel like playing it today.

He wanted to think about what Elrohir had said. He was not sure that he even wanted to win anymore, not if it meant so much to his brother. Perhaps it was only fair that they should take turns at winning sometimes. Even if it did mean that he would have to do badly in front of everyone. If he lost then the other boys in his training group would laugh at him, glad of something to taunt him for. Everybody would think that he was really bad if he had practised with Glorfindel and still could not shoot well. Maybe Glorfindel would even be ashamed of him when he saw how bad he was. He did not want people to be ashamed of him or pity him. But if he won he did not think that it would feel as good as he had once thought that it would, not now that he knew how Elrohir would be feeling.

"They play that on the beaches." A voice spoke sadly from somewhere above him, and Elladan flinched backward against the rock in his surprise. It took him a moment to identify the voice as that of the shipwright, and judging from the shadows that fell into the dell then Mithrandir was with him. Ashamed at not having heard them approach, Elladan froze in position, trying not to breathe lest he should be discovered. While the rock behind was taller than an elfling, he doubted that it even came up to the shipwright's waist, and it would offer him precious little camouflage should either of the guests look down. "I remember him teaching them this game."

"He has brought them much joy." Mithrandir's voice was consoling although Elladan could tell from the shadows that Cirdan was looking away from him, into the trees. "I am sure that in turn, Elrond's own sons have been taught the rules."

"He would have loved to meet them. They are good children." Cirdan said slowly then spoke more briskly. "Although they are but small and foolish as all infants are. Look at the boats they sail. Have they no sense?"

Mithrandir chuckled tolerantly. He had already heard much of the shipwright's views on the children of Imladris' ability at shipbuilding, for it had been he who had been walking with him when they had passed the bridge from which a group of youngsters were launching pieces of bark speared with a stick and leaf, or crudely hewn models. The shipwright did not easily suffer fools, even if they were but a fraction of his age.

"A little attention to detail and a little more sense in selecting the design. What is the purpose of a sail if it cannot be turned to the wind?" Cirdan said brusquely, frowning as he remembered how often the small ships had tipped over and the disappointment of the children when they had done so. "Someone should explain the principles to them. If they just understood. . ."

Scowling viciously at the ground, Elladan wrinkled his nose and slapped the fingers and thumb of one hand together like a yattering goose. Trust Lord Cirdan to see the worst of everything. He had made a boat himself once, and while it was nowhere near as nice as his treasured gift, he had still been proud of it. And he had designed it all by himself without anyone helping him.

"Did you. . ." Cirdan asked with a note of puzzlement, looking around for the source of the noise. He had almost thought that he had heard a slight tapping noise, but his companion seemed not to be aware of the disturbance.

More worried than he was quite prepared to admit to himself, Elladan held his breath and pressed himself against the rock, curling his fists tightly around the thick stems of the ivy. Lord Cirdan already thought bad things of him, and because of that, his Ada as well. If he found him again then he would be in so much trouble.

For a moment he thought that he had escaped reprimand, for he heard Mithrandir saying, "A bird, perhaps. Come, why do you not explain to the infants yourself. . ."

"What. . ." Cirdan had apparently not been dissuaded from his search by this tempting suggestion, for there was a rustling noise and someone reached downwards and grasped the back of his tunic, hauling him up above the level of the bank. "You again!"

Flinching back at the shipwright's exasperated boom, Elladan scowled at his captor and wriggled violently in an attempt to be let down. This was not even his fault. How was he supposed to stop overhearing things if people did not remember to check for people who might accidentally overhear them before speaking? He had been hiding here first anyway, it was not his fault that Lord Cirdan had chosen to stop and talk here.

"A small spy, indeed." Cirdan's voice was dry as he observed the child, but to Elladan's relief he did not seem as angry as he had done before, more resigned than anything. "I am not fond of eavesdroppers, Master Elladan."

Burning inside at the injustice of this comment, Elladan glared at the ancient elf and kicked in the air until he was set down.

"I was not eavesdropping!" Elladan put his hands on his hips and craned his neck back to give the shipwright the full effect of his hate-filled look. "You should look where you are talking before saying important things. I would not talk about sneaking out of bed in front of Ada!"

The shipwright's bushy brows rose playfully at this, and he looked at Mithrandir with an expression that Elladan did not understand. The wizard's mouth was twitching in the manner that it often did when he wished to laugh, and the wrinkles around his eyes seemed deepened.

"You have been told, Master Shipwright." Mithrandir said solemnly then added rather more teasingly. "Consider yourself lucky not to find a sword in your neck."

The two adults began chuckling, and feeling as if he was the butt of a joke that he did not understand, Elladan took advantage of their distraction to slink off to join his friends. Sometimes he did not understand grown-ups at all.

~*~

"There we are." Celebrian fastened the last of Elrohir's braids with a tightly knotted strip of leather, and got up from her knees, using one hand to gently turn the child round as she admired the result. She had taken special care with her sons' hair, knowing that they would wish to run and jump and skip with the other young elves - something that was sure to shake even the most carefully woven hair from its braids. "Be careful with your circlets."

She carefully opened each of the flat wooden boxes carved with the children's names and the insignia of Imladris, and lifted the small silver circlet from the velvet lining. They had been a gift at the time of the twins' birth and although the boys looked quite adorable when wearing them, she had always been a little anxious lest they should accidentally poke each other's eyes out with the blunt ends.

"Elladan." The elder twin stepped forward and she placed the circlet on the dark head, kneeling down again to ensure that it lay straight then repeated the exercise with her youngest. "You both look lovely."

The twins were indistinguishable tonight to all but the most familiar eye, their dress identical from their fine shoes to their pale blue silk tunics and matching circlets. In a few years, Celebrian noted with a touch of sadness, they would be old enough to wear shirts and leggings under their tunics, and after that, formal gowns in shades to complement their father's. Tonight though, despite their eagerness to be fully-grown and able to wear boots and wield spears, both would have complained bitterly if forced into the garments that her husband would wear. It was a sweltering night with little breeze, and they were glad of their bare legs and arms.

"Are we ready?" Elladan hopped from foot to foot, not entirely happy with the heavy feeling of the new and unfamiliar shoes. He was excited about the celebration; especially the cakes and pastries that he had seen being carried through into the hall earlier today, and everything seemed to be taking so long. If they did not hurry then the soldiers of the Guard would eat everything all up.

"May we read our book whilst we wait, Ammë?" Elrohir tugged on his mother's hand for attention. Another of their gifts at birth had been a lavishly illustrated history of ages gone by, and although the boys were still rather too young for such a fine volume, they were usually allowed to read from it and admire the pictures as a special treat when they were waiting for their parents to dress for a formal occasion - the care that the twins took to avoid damaging the precious book usually ensured that their garments remained equally tidy.

"Of course," Celebrian tightened her grip on Elrohir's hand and held out an open palm for Elladan to grasp. "If you are very careful."

"We are always very careful." Elladan slipped his hand into his mother's and began pulling her toward the doorway. "And we have nothing with which to dirty it. I am too clean, Ammë."

Laughing, Celebrian allowed herself to be led out to the passageway that ran down to her own bedroom. She had bathed and changed into her undergarments before dressing the boys, but in the interests of preventing creases and accidents she rarely donned her chosen gown until the last minutes before the event. With luck her husband would be almost ready, and as she had already laid out matching garments for him she would have little to do except ensure that his circlet was level and his cuffs were buttoned. Half-elves could be incredibly lax in attending to the little details that made all the difference, and in truth she sometimes wondered how her husband had got along without her. She did not think that she wished to know how often he had not changed his undershirt during those seven long years in Mordor.

The trio entered the master bedroom and the twins broke away from their mother to leap gleefully on the bed, bouncing a couple of times for good measure.

"Look, Ada! New tunics!" Elrohir scrambled up on his knees to point proudly at the pale blue silk.

"New tunics, Ada!" Elladan dropped down onto the pillows, spreading out his arms wide to make the widest possible dent in the soft cushions.

"Very nice, boys." Elrond shifted his concentration from the complicated braiding pattern for a moment to peek in the mirror to watch his sons' reflections bounce in the glass. Those same tunics had been slightly too big for them at the celebration at the start of the summer, but now they fitted quite acceptably.

"And Ada looks very nice too, does he not?" Celebrian queried with a hint of mischief, standing on tiptoe to kiss her husband lightly on the cheek. The half-elven were slightly more sensitive to the heat than their full- blooded cousins and Elrond wore a slightly peeved look as he contemplated donning the heavy velvet gown over his shirt and leggings.

"Very nice, Ada." Elrohir nodded seriously and smiled at his father, secretly glad that he would not have to wear such heavy clothing for several years.

"I am glad that I do not have to wear that!" Elladan wrinkled his nose and pointed towards the gown that was hanging neatly from the back of a chair. "It looks hot and itchy."

"It is, my Elladan." Elrond said regretfully as he finished his braiding. "Although it is indeed very fine."

Laughing softly, Celebrian passed through into the pale coolness of their bathing chamber leaving her husband charge of their two excited sons.

~*~

"You are beautiful," Elrond took his wife's hand in his as they walked through the southern hallway to the sitting room where they would meet with their guests. Dressed like this, in a gown of simple white silk and so obviously happy she did not need her mother's power to glow. The raw fabric of the gown gleamed iridescently in the soft lamplight and the silver and mithril charms threaded in her hair made it glitter and gleam in the flickering beams.

"The night is beautiful." Celebrian corrected softly, ducking her head a little to hide her smile and blushing cheeks. "I hope that they. . ."

". . .behave?" Elrond finished for her, looking ahead of them to their sons who were scampering eagerly from side to side, exclaiming over the decorations and leaping to try and catch the large moths that fluttered around the lamps. "I am sure that they will try."

"I hope that they do not mind too much. It will be hard for them." Celebrian bit her lip slightly as she watched her boys. They had agreed that to help ease the children into proper behaviour at formal functions that they should, at this age, sit and talk with the other guests or participate in the traditional dances rather than play with their friends.

"They shall do well." Elrond said proudly then added teasingly. "At that age my brother and I were never shown such sympathy."

"At that age, Master Elrond," a deep voice commented from behind them and Elrond turned round in surprise to find the Lord of the Havens behind him, "you were too busy pressing our poor guests for information that neither of us could get a word in edgeways."

"I. . . I. . ." Elrond opened his mouth in rightful indignation, trying not to join in with Celebrian's laughter. "I was merely a curious child. . . a bright child."

The Lord of Imladris nodded in a self-satisfied manner then grinned teasingly at the shipwright.

"As bright as a candle flame, no doubt?" Cirdan said with an inquisitive raise of his eyebrows.

"Aye," Elrond agreed eyeing Cirdan a little dubiously. With the shipwright things were seldom this simple.

"Aye?" Mock surprise tinged the ancient elf's tone.

"Aye." Elrond confirmed, wondering what the sea-elf was up to. The Teleri were a strange and curious folk.

"Aye, intellect burning as a flame. . ." Cirdan rubbed one hand pensively over his closely cropped beard, "flickering appropriately, no doubt?"

"Ay. . ." Elrond halted suddenly and speared the shipwright with a look, but was left without appropriate retort.

"Flickering?" Glorfindel asked helpfully, coming up from behind and slapping a hand on each of his friend's shoulders, drawing them all into an impromptu hug. Lowering his lips to the half-elf's ear he hissed in an exceedingly audible whisper. "The Flame Imperishable, Peredhil. The Flame Imperishable."

~*~

"I do not like dancing." Elladan complained to his brother as they sat on the edge of a bench, watching their mother and father leading a Teleri dance that they did not know.

"You dance at Midwinter." Elrohir retorted half-heartedly, much of his attention focussed on the footwork of the dancers. The music for this dance was beautiful and next time it was played he wished to join in. The sea elves were singing as they danced and although he did not know all the ancient words, Elrohir joined in quietly, mouthing the words that he did not know.

"It is fun at Midwinter." Elladan paused for a moment to watch as his mother whirled under his father's arm and caught hold of Glorfindel's hand. He could not understand how such a brave warrior as Glorfindel could enjoy prancing and skipping about the hall. "This is stupid!"

Although his Ada and Ammë were laughing and looked as if they were having fun, he much preferred the dances at Midwinter when they would all join hands and sing joyful tunes as they skipped faster and faster around the great tree. This seemed to be more about patterns and trying not to trip over each other than having fun. One poor member of the Guard had just stepped on a maiden's dress and she was looking at him as if it was his fault. She should never have worn anything that long and floppy if she did not want it to be trampled on.

"It is not!" Elrohir said brightly, getting to his feet as the music stopped, and running to his mother. "Dance with me, Ammë! Dance with me!"

"I would love to, little one." Celebrian took the child's outstretched hands and gave her husband an apologetic look. "And then I shall dance with your Ada again."

Smiling in satisfaction, Elrohir dragged his mother toward the centre of the dance floor, leaving his father to stroll over to where Elladan was sitting.

"Elrohir has already mastered the trick of stealing another's partner." Elrond grinned broadly as he watched Celebrian leading their son through the moves. "Are you having fun, Elladan?"

"No." Elladan spoke in a voice that suggested strongly that his father should have known the answer. "It is completely pointless, Ada."

"It is?" Elrond's laughed at his eldest son's disgruntled expression and wrapped an arm around the child's hunched shoulders. "It is quite fun when you are with a maiden that you like."

"I do not like girls." Elladan scowled and looked longingly at the corner where the other children were laughing and playing. A few had joined in the dancing and were all holding hands in a long line as they skipped and wove in-between the older elves. "Can I not dance with them, Ada?"

Elrond looked over at the little chain of children and turned back to his son. It was better for the boy to be dancing than sitting here by himself, and there were few here that would partner him. The current dance had just ended and Celebrian seemed to be having difficulty in preventing Elrohir from splitting up a newly betrothed couple who clearly did not yet wish to change their partners. Although he was sure that Galadriel would dance with the boys if asked, they would have more fun with others their own size. "I do not see why not. Be careful not to trip anyone."

"I will Ada!" Elladan leapt off the bench, landing lightly on his hands and knees before running over to fill in a gap in the chain between Iorw's cousin and Andün's sister.

"Be good!" Elrond called after him and hurried over to his wife to claim her as his partner - just in time, for his rather overzealous friend had been approaching with a distinctly mischievous glint in his eyes.

~*~

"But it is not fair!" Elladan complained loudly, pointing accusingly at the bench in the corner where Cirdan was sitting alone surrounded by wood shavings from the block of wood that he was whittling. "You do not make him dance! Why cannot I sit there instead?"

The other children had grown tired of dancing and Elladan had been forced to trail regretfully back to the bench to make polite conversation and watch the dancing. His brother never seemed short of a partner, smiling sweetly at whoever met his desire, knowing that few maidens had the heart to resist him. He had been quite content watching everyone and talking to one of the elves of Guard who was unable to dance due to an injured foot, but then his Ammë had come along and said that he had to join in the dancing. Apparently listening to a vivid description of the beheading of an orc was not a suitable way to spend the evening.

Celebrian looked quickly from her son's angry face to the firm figure of the shipwright. "Eru grant me peace, Elladan! If you wish to sit in the corner, by all means do so. Speak to Lord Cirdan if you wish. He at least might think higher of your manners than I do!"

Rather stung by his mother's words Elladan stumped over to where the shipwright sat then paused a few feet from the bench as he watched the shipwright earnestly. Now that he had got his wish he did not know what he should do. It seemed rude to sit down next to anyone as important as Lord Cirdan uninvited, but he could not go back to his family. His mother and father were holding each other closely as they danced, and were talking quietly to each other. About him, Elladan suspected. Now his father would come and scold him later for his rudeness and he would have to apologise to his Ammë. It was not that he did not want to be friends with his Ammë again, but he did not like anyone make him do anything, as if he was so nasty that he would not say sorry by himself if given time.

Ignoring the small stubborn silhouette before him, Cirdan turned over the section of hull that he had shaped in his hands, pursing a lip as he detected a slight irregularity in the thickness of the wood.

"Lord Cirdan!" Elladan demanded in an imperious voice, crossing his arms tightly across his chest.

"Master Elladan." Cirdan glanced briefly upwards to look at the child then turned back to his handiwork. "May I be of assistance?"

Aggravated by the elf's apparent disinterest, Elladan pouted grumpily. One of the laces of his formal shoes had come undone, and he could feel the smooth metal of his circlet weighing down irregularly on his left ear. His tunic was crumpled and had a few bright red raspberry stains, and he no longer felt fresh or adorable. Nobody would want to teach him to make ships, just as nobody wanted to dance with him.

"Show me how to make ships." Elladan demanded sulkily, then realising how terribly rude this sounded added, more to avoid a reprimand than to be polite. "Please, Lord Cirdan."

The shipwright did not look up from his work. "No."

Elladan paused, mouth slightly open as he watched the old sea elf. He was intolerably rude and unkind and it was not fair. "Why not? I want you to."

Cirdan set down the roughly carved wooden hull and the plane and looked seriously at the boy. He was obviously frustrated and angry, and was too cross to dance or sing, much less make his first attempts at shipbuilding.

"Because I do not wish to." Cirdan said blandly then looked hard at an empty bench that was well supplied with cushions. "Why do you not sit over there?"

"Because I do not wish to!" Elladan exclaimed loudly, drawing curious looks from some of the nearby elves. He would rather dance than sit alone in a corner with everyone wondering what he had done to deserve such treatment. "I want you to show me how to make ships!"

Cirdan ignored him and resumed smoothing down the hull of the ship, each stroke steady and calm. Frowning, Elladan shifted his weight from foot to foot, watching the shipwright's hands intently.

"I do not see why you complain about our ships if you will not show me how to make a proper one." Elladan scowled stubbornly at the shipwright's beard, one fist screwing the silk of the left side of his tunic into a crumpled ball. "There is no point."

Cirdan grunted, and picked up a small square of sandpaper to smooth off the rough corners of his craft.

"I would like to make a ship." Elladan said loudly, and glared intently at the shipwright until he was sure that the elf should burn to dust under the ferocity of his gaze. He could hear the others dancing and many sweet voices raised in song behind him, but he seemed driven by a fierce determination to have his way. He could not be sent back unwanted to his parents anyway, not now that he had made Ammë cross. "I would try hard."

"Oh, very well!" Cirdan spoke at last with an air of great frustration, and before Elladan could respond, had swept him off his feet and seated him firmly in his lap. "I shall show you."

Startled by this sudden action, Elladan remained mute for a few minutes, listening intently as Cirdan launched into a lecture on the design and construction of model ships. Then, as the sea elf leant forward, carefully showing him how to choose which section of wood from which to cut the hull, he relaxed back against the larger body.

When Celebrian next looked over to the corner to check on her son, Elladan was sitting happily in the shipwright's lap, chattering excitedly as a large callused hand guided his small one. Her worry decreasing greatly, she turned back to her husband and the minstrels, not quite missing the small smile half hidden beneath the shipwright's beard.

~*~

Finally, as the final songs of the dances were played before the merry party would filter through to the Hall of Fire for singing and reciting, Celebrian called her small sons to her and wrapped an arm around each child's shoulders. Despite Elladan's stubbornness and Elrohir's excessive enthusiasm they had been remarkably well behaved, and it seemed a shame to deny them a little while of play as a reward.

"Have you enjoyed yourselves?" Celebrian took her boys by the hand and led them into a quiet corner of the room to talk. "I was proud of you."

Elrohir beamed at this and nodded vigorously, but Elladan turned a miserable shade of pink and scuffed the toe of his shoe against his bare ankle. Sure that she could see the brightness of tiny tears in the grey eyes, Celebrian drew her eldest son closer. "I was proud of you too, my Elladan."

"I am sorry, Ammë." Elladan buried his face into the layered skirts of his mother's gown and clutched her hand extra tightly.

"All is well, little one." Celebrian brushed a dangling bit of hair from his loosened braid back behind his ear, and knelt down to kiss his cheek. "I believe that you made Lord Cirdan the happier."

Elladan looked towards the shipwright and wrinkled his nose. "He is very grumpy, Ammë."

Celebrian laughed merrily and pressed the tip of her index finger to her lips, then hugged both boys to her. "You both did very well. Why do you not run and play a little while before we join in the singing?"

The twins looked at each other for a moment, their smiles growing in their faces, then hurriedly handed their mother their circlets and shoes, and dashed over to a free corner of the floor to join their friends in running and jumping, slipping and sliding, laughing and squealing, and all the other things that elflings did best.