Title: You Just Never Know
Summary: You just never know what can happen in the House of Elrond.
A/N: Errr wrote it a month ago in like 15 minutes. Please excuse any lack of morals, ethics, and step over the drool bucket.
Imaldris, calm, peaceful, and yet on all Hallows Eve no one there dared to step too lightly, for each corner could hold some surprise, each dark room, something you would not wish to discover. Legolas, had long come for the tradition, since Estel had been only four summers in fact.
Now that Estel was all of fourteen summers, the trip was all the more fun. Together they usually sent elves scurrying in their path, as last year the sight of their hallowed Glorfindel hanging from the balcony in Arwen's dress had made a lasting impression.
This year Legolas and Estel had been plotting on the twins. Just the previous week both had returned from a long hunt, and now was the time for planning. He and Estel has sat up half the night, speaking of just how they would get the duo. Even now when Legolas thought of what was coming for the twins he smiled.
Estel had bid him goodbye this morning to go and search for the herbs they would need to carry out their plans. Legolas had been left behind so that he could get the room ready. Colored streamers were to be hung from the ceiling, in party fashion. The twins would expect a party celebrating their return, what they would get was something else all together.
Legolas had just hung the last streamer, when fatigue seemed to gnaw at him. He hadn't slept, true, but he was almost unable to hold his eyes open. Sitting on the edge of the chaise he let sleep take him, wanting to catch a quick nap before Estel returned.
Two hours later what he awoke to was someone poking him rather sharply, and that is when the sounds he thought were in his dreams came to life. Shrieks from every corner of the room, and when he looked several elf maidens, including Arwen and the Lady Galadriel were standing in the room.
He didn't know why they were staring or why Seraphin kept trying to get him to take the offered cloth. Legolas stared dumbfounded at all the she elves in the room, but dared not look them in the eyes. Something was off and as soon as he looked to his clothing he discovered why.
The circlet came tumbling from his head, but it was not his circlet but Arwen's and it did not land in his lap but instead upon the pumpkin. The pumpkin was carved intricately, a goblin face of some sort, but ... Legolas realized it was the only thing covering him, and shrieked, a shriek that sent Elladan and Elrohir falling from the closet in giggles.
Legolas wished to choke them, to dismember them bit by bit, but when he lunged for them, the Lady Galadriel pushed him back upon the chaise. "I would think you would take the offered cloth." Legolas blushed taking the cloth, and yet he could not removed the pumpkin no matter how hard he yanked.
"It's not funny!" he yelled at the twins who were still laughing, though the yelling brought Lord Celeborn and Lord Elrond into the room, followed by Glorfindel. Each stopped though once they saw what had transpired. Legolas blushed even more as Lord Celeborn stepped closer. Often Legolas had wondered about the stories his father told him of his warrior skills. Often Legolas wondered why now the man was so solemn compared to those of his extended family.
Elrond trying Legolas thought to save some of his honor stepped forward covering the view from Arwen and the other maidens. "If you would be so kind as to remove this Elladan, then we can start the party."
"Remove it Ada?"
Estel had made his way through the door by now, but dropped the herbs upon seeing the sight before him. Snorts of laughter were all that came out, which turned into floor slapping giggles, as his eyes watered.
"Enough of this! We have several people waiting for the festivities," Erestor said, walking over to Legolas. With a quick movement he gave the pumpkin a yank, and with that came a surprising girlish sounding yell from Legolas. Each person took turns till Legolas held up his hands in surrender.
"Enjoy the party. I shall wait here until someone can bring me something to get this off." Everyone excused themselves from the room, but Celeborn and Elrond, and Legolas found himself wishing he were anywhere but here.
"Is it not true that you and Estel were planning to prank the twins this very evening?" Legolas could not look the elven lord in the face, so he hung his head in shame. "Have no fear young one. The matter at hand will resolve itself, though if you wish to join the party I can make arrangements for you to attend."
"How?" Legolas asked still staring down at the pumpkin.
"We shall light the first candle of Hallows Eve, and as is custom, I think it is my turn this year." Lord Celeborn was not one to joke, or was he? Legolas didn't really know anything about him, but from what he had heard this was not a good omen, nor the sight of the elven lord coming towards him with the lit candle. Taking every scrap of his dignity and tossing it to the wind Legolas bolted from the room, and out the door.
"Shall we go after him?"
"Nay, an hour in the company of the animals of the woods will wise him to antics such as these. There shall be stories of this night told for many years to come."
"And the twins, they are responsible?" Celeborn questioned, as they walked from the room.
Elrond covered a cough, that sounded sort of like a reply.
"You were saying?" Celeborn asked again, this time standing in front of his son in law, arms crossed.
"I said, they can't have all the fun now can they. They hung Glorfindel from my balcony last year. The images of him in nay but Arwen's dress, and no leggings was a sight I had not wished ever. When he was finally cut down, I had Arwen trying to thrash him about the head, oblivious to the fact that he had fallen backside first right onto Erestor and a plate of tarts. It took four bottle of wine to calm Erestor, after seeing that."
"Ah, so Celebrian's spirit lives on in this house." Celeborn said with a smile. At the questioning look on Elrond's face Celeborn motioned for him to follow. "Come I will tell you of the time she painted Rumiel's face bright red to make him prettier she claimed, though he found no humor in it."
The House of Elrond spent the night enjoying the fresh cider, and scary tales, and every once in a while a shriek could be heard coming from the trees overhead where some claim to have seen a pumpkin floating in midair.