Four curly heads peered around an ornate-chiseled doorway; two ebony-black and two, in striking contrast, silver-gold.
"What are they talkin' about?" whispered Elrohir, removing his chubby fist from his mouth long enough to speak.
Their parents sat at a table. Celebrían, who was sitting vertical to them, had her eyes fixed away Thranduil, though the slightest hint of smile was on her lips.
"I don't know." said Legolas. "Why do we care? Let them talk; I know what t'do!"
Mallas looked suspicious. "Which is?"
Legolas looked conspiratorially towards the window, in which came beams of moonlight. "You know that what they're drinkin' is the finest wine-I think. But they won't let us have any. But I have an idea."
Forbidden sweets always taste the best, and they followed him eagerly down the corridor. To his surprise, he threw open the door with an elaborate flourish, which opened to a comfortable room.
"What's this?" asked Elrohir curiously, stepping in.
"It's Adar and Naneth's room." said Mallas. She knew precisely what was going on. She opened the door to the closet, to reveal silken robes. "Legolas an' Elrohir, get near the bedframe." she ordered. "Elladan, help me."
Together they pulled down one of Thranduil's robes, and scampered to the top of the bed, where Elladan was painfully trying to get Legolas on his shoulders. After several attempts, it was done and Mallas shoved the tunic over the blonde head. The wide shoulders of the garment were not made for Elflings; it fell down to Elladan's feet, and Mallas and Elrohir surveyed the pair mournfully. The Elrondion wobbled, Legolas tottered, and the two came crashing to the floor.
The two standing on the large bed looked even more mournful. Mallas sat down heavily, propping her chin in her hand. "What can we do?"
Elrohir dropped down besides her. "We can pretend to be really short Elves." he suggested.
"Dwarves!" cried Elladan from the floor.
"Mm, Adar and Naneth don't really like Dwarves. They say Dwarves murdered King Thingol...whoever he is." replied Legolas warily.
Mallas waved her hand. "No, it's a real good idea! If we dress up two of us like Dwarves, then the other two can sneak in to the room."
"Wait. You have guards watching your wine?" asked Elrohir dubiously.
"Noooo…but Galion is in there, getting' the empty barrels ready to send down to Laketown." answered Legolas. "So, who'll be Dwarves? I think Mallas an' Elladan." he added, rubbing his wrists somewhat viciously as he glared at the still-sprawled Elrondion.
Elladan lifted his ebony head indignantly. "No! Absolutely not! You be the Dwarf!"
"We need two Dwarves." pleaded Mallas, gazing at the twins with imploring eyes. Elladan instantly subsided under her azure gaze. "Oh, whatever." he mumbled.
"What about beards?" chipped in Legolas, gazing at Elladan's face.
"He has long enough hair." said Mallas. "We can cut it off and glue it to his face." Then she added maliciously. "Same with you, brother."
"No…" said Elladan, scrambling to his feet and backing fearfully towards the door, clutching strands of his hair.
He turned and fled, right into Celebrían's arms. She smiled down at the Elflings. "So there you are."
They nodded, eyes wide in terrified faces. "Yessss…."
The knowing smile on Celebrían's face never left. "Since sneaking into the wine storeroom did not work, darlings, would grapes work?"
"Grapes?" questioned Elladan, staring at his mother.
"Yes, grapes."
"Nothing else?" quavered Legolas, his bravado gone.
"Nothing else." assured Celebrían solemnly. "Just grapes."
"Just grapes?" repeated Elrohir.
"Just grapes." returned Celebrían, her lips twitching as she lifted Elladan a little higher and held out her hand. Mallas took it, and the other two trailed along.
They found the grown-up Elves just as they had left them, talking about many things, but the fascinating part was the large platter of glossy blue-black grapes that sat in the center.
Elladan's head was on the table, a grape clutched in his hand. Mallas was sitting on Laurëlasse's lap, fast asleep.
Finally Thranduil rose, carrying Legolas. "An Elfling for each." he said. "What were they doing, Celebrían?"
Celebrían hoisted Elrohir a little higher. "Trying to find a way to get into your wine room. Elladan suggested to disguise as Dwarves."
Laurëlasse arched an eyebrow. "Dwarves?"
Celebrían nodded solemnly. "Dwarves. They may vouch for it-when they woke."
Elrond hid his laughter. "The rogues. It is just as well they fell asleep."
Thranduil nodded. "Who would have thought Noldor and Sindar could be such friends?"
"Childhood forgets about heritage and only sees today." returned Elrond. "Which is a blessing, for a while."
The Elven-King nodded. "It is well to have friends outside our own race." he answered solemnly, looking at the two fair Noldor faces that surrounded him, and then the smiling one of his Woodland Queen.
There was silence in the palace.