Just in case you're interested, this episode and the next occur around the same time as Elflings 11.  Legolas has taken Galenthil to spend some months with his cousin - and Elrohir and Elladan are visiting their great-grandfather.

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The Paradise of Elves – Part 77: Display

Elladan arranged himself so that his shimmering silk robes in dark Imladris blue draped themselves elegantly around his feet.  Elrohir grinned and automatically took up a position at his brother’s shoulder: identical brothers, identically clothed, mithril bands around their brows keeping their gleaming hair under control. 

‘Do you think if we look forbidding enough it will persuade the chattering hordes to keep away from us?’ Elladan murmured.

‘No,’ his brother said simply.  ‘We are here to demonstrate the bond between Adar’s realm and the Finarfin’s House.  We are here to be admired, not overlooked.’

‘Is that why Adar sent us?’ Elladan sounded surprised.

Elrohir watched the approach of a certain blond elf in gold-embroidered green.  ‘Well, that and because he knows how much Legolas dislikes the time he spends with Elerrina’s parents.’

‘We are protection?’

‘Support.’  Elrohir grinned.  ‘A reminder to Taryatur that Galadriel would be very annoyed if her favourite Wood Elf happened to fall off a tall cliff while he was visiting.’

‘Ahh.’  Elladan pitched his voice to be heard by the new arrival.  ‘And an indication that he has powerful friends.  With relatives in high places.’

‘You have relatives in very high places,’ Legolas laughed and glanced up at the darkening sky in which the light of Eärendil’s star was rising.

‘Well, that is one from which your wife’s adar is unlikely to throw you,’ his friend told him.

Legolas looked at him with some confusion.  ‘Have you been drinking, Elladan?’

‘Ignore him,’ Elrohir said.

‘How are Linevendë and Taryatur?’ Elladan asked with apparent interest. ‘Are they showing any signs of wishing to take you out for long walks?  Or perhaps to admire the view from any high towers?’

‘Be silent, orc brain,’ his brother commanded.

Elladan grinned mischievously.  ‘I am delighted to see you, my friend,’ he said.  ‘If only because the courtesies between realms impel us to pass some considerable time in conversation.’

‘Not as long as I would like,’ Legolas said ruefully.  ‘My naneth says that I should be sure to dance first with Lady Eärwen.  And Elerrina instructed me to dance with Linevendë and then with Nisimalotë.   And Hithien has asked me to speak to Calion’s naneth – preferably in public so that Artamir does not realise that the conversation is more than casual.’

Elrohir brightened.  ‘We could help,’ he suggested.  ‘I could talk to Artamir while you inveigle Minyariel away.’

‘And I could take Finarfin to one side while you entice Eärwen away.’ Elladan threw Legolas a wicked glance.  ‘Although you might end up having to fight off the whole of the court.’

‘I am only surprised that you do not have, tucked in your sleeve, a list of those with whom you must be seen to talk – and for how long – and those with whom you must dance – and how many times,’ Legolas commented.

‘Really, my friend,’ Elladan drawled, ‘you must think us to be totally socially inept.’

‘We outgrew the need for lists years ago,’ Elrohir agreed. ‘When we discovered the repercussions of losing them!’

‘Elrohir pays attention to the instructions now,’ Elladan grinned. ‘And pushes me in the right direction at the right time.’

‘This is such a tedious way to spend an evening.’ Legolas viewed the brightly clad groups of Noldor with a jaded eye.  He sighed.  ‘I would rather be home.’

‘I would rather be fighting orcs,’ Elladan raised the bar.

‘I would prefer to be dancing barefoot on hot coals while fighting dragons with a wooden spoon,’ Elrohir declared.

‘He lies,’ Legolas told Elladan.

‘He does,’ the first-born twin agreed.  ‘He actually enjoys prancing around being suave and clever.’  He shook his head.  ‘He is nearly as good at it as Arwen was – I am sure the only reason she married Aragorn was so that she could spend her evenings engaged in subtle chit-chat with advantage-seeking diplomats.’

‘Obviously,’ Legolas nodded.  ‘She cannot possibly have had any other reason for binding herself to a scruffy ranger in the robes of a king.’

Elrohir squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.  ‘Well,’ he said, ‘I suppose it is time for us to go on a charm offensive.  We know what we have to do.’

‘We are doing this for the New Realms,’ Legolas said encouragingly.  ‘For Taurevron.’

‘And for Emyn Ovornen.’  Elrohir laughed.  ‘Come on, then.  Time to impress.’