Part I

For years after their mother's sailing, the twins rode out in pursuit of the Orcs. Whenever news of the creatures came to them, they would saddle their horses, Beledhel and Eldroth, and leave the valley for months, even years, at a time.

Sometimes they would hunt with just the two of them, other times they would join the Dúnedain, who were often encamped at the base of the Misty Mountains.

They killed without mercy but did not torture, somehow hoping that after slaying enough Orcs, the pain and guilt would release them from its grip.

Their father, Lord Elrond, feared every time they rode out that they would not return alive, or that one would die, and the other would succumb to his grief and follow soon after. But the twins, in their fury, ignored all attempts made by their father and those who held influence over them, and they would not be restrained in Imladris.

Celebrian had sailed in the year 2510 of the Third Age. Now, three hundred years after, the twins still rode after the Orcs, sometimes coming back on the brink of death from their many wounds.

It happened that Elladan and Elrohir were at Imladris, recovering from poisoned wounds, when the Chieftain of the Rangers, Arathorn son of Arador, rode up to the gate. The Ranger seemed deeply concerned, for he pleaded for a private audience with Lord Elrond as soon as could be.

'Orcs are attacking the villages,' he told Elrond, while pacing back and forth in the study. 'I have come to beg for the assistance of the Elves, if they can spare the warriors.'

Elrond glanced uneasily in the direction the healing wards. 'My sons are recently returned from their latest escapade, half dead from poison. I would have them remain here, but if they find out that you are come for this reason, I fear that nothing, not even my orders, shall be able to keep them from riding with you.'

'The fighting-skills of an Elf are great. I do not need many, and it does not have to be your sons, Elrond,' Arathorn replied.

'They would not see it that way. If they hear of Orcs nearby, they leave, whether or not they are fully healed.' Elrond poured two glasses of wine and passed one to Arathorn, who nodded his thanks.

At that moment, a knock came on the door. Upon opening it, Elrond recognised one of the healers whom he had assigned to Elladan and Elrohir.

'Forgive me for interrupting, my lord,' she said to Elrond, glancing at Arathorn. 'But your sons have heard of the visitor; they demand that you release them from the bloody ward.' She blushed as she noted her lord's obvious annoyance. Perhaps she should have changed Elladan's wording a little. 'Your sons' words, not mine, my lord,' she added as an afterthought.

'They demand, do they? Well, mellon-nin, would you be so kind as to tell them that their father demands that they remain in their beds until he comes to teach the meaning of the word 'demand,' and who has the right to put it into use.'

The healer gave a slight bow. 'Yes, Lord Elrond. I do not know for how long the healers shall be able to restrain them, though.'

'Just do the best you can, leave the rest to me.' He shut the door after she turned away, and turned to Arathorn. 'I am sorry about that.'

'It is nothing. How recovered are your sons?' Arathorn took a sip of wine.

'If they planned to stay here in Imladris for a while, then I would release them now, but they are not well enough to leave the Valley within the week, as they would do if I were to give them permission.'

Arathorn nodded.

Elrond was silent for a moment. 'I can send twelve of Glorfindel's warriors back with you,' he said finally. 'How soon do you wish to leave?'

'I should leave as soon as may be,' Arathorn replied. 'My wife and my son are at the village, staying with my parents-in-law. Her father, Dírhael, has agreed to lead the Dúnedain in my absence.'

'You must stay the night, at least,' Elrond said. 'It is not safe to travel by dark these days. I shall have a room prepared for you.'

'You have my thanks,' Arathorn said gratefully, bowing. He drained his glass and placed it on the side-table. 'I shall leave at dawn, so as to cause no more trouble than I already have.' He raised his eyebrows at Elrond, who grimaced back.

The Elven lord went to his desk and rang a small silver ball. Within moments, a maid appeared at the door.

'You called, my lord?'

'I did,' Elrond answered. 'Would you be so kind as to escort our guest to a room?'

'Of course, my lord.' She stood back to let Arathorn pass her. 'This way, sir.'

Once the man and maid had left, Elrond sat down on the edge of his desk, sipping his wine. Abruptly, he rose again and summoned a second maid to fetch Glorfindel to him.

The Balrog-slayer entered. 'Is something wrong?'

'I cannot right say,' Elrond replied wryly. 'Arathorn is come, and he begs for help. His village is being ambushed, and he has too few men. I have promised him twelve warriors from your detachment. Can you comply?'

Glorfindel chewed his lip for a moment. 'I do not see why not,' he finally answered. 'When must they be ready?'

'Arathorn leaves tomorrow at dawn. You had best pick those to go immediately, but make sure news does not reach the twins.'

'I am afraid that it already has. I was in their room before a maid summoned me to you; they were bent on going, permission or no. I am afraid that their civil tongues are on leave from duty at the moment.'

'If I have to put them in the prison cells, I will keep them here,' Elrond stated firmly. 'At the least, they shall be tied to their beds. As for the civil tongues, I am afraid that they have them when they desire to, but they can rid themselves of them at a moment's notice.'

Glorfindel could not keep back a smile: the mental pictures that came to mind of the twins howling as they were fastened to their beds was amusing.

'I am in earnest,' Elrond said, seeing Glorfindel's mirth.

'I know you are,' Glorfindel assured him. 'Is that all?'

'Yes, get the warriors together. Thank you, Glorfindel.' Elrond walked and placed his now-empty glass beside Arathorn's. 'I must demand things of certain persons.'

Glorfindel and Elrond walked together till they arrived at the door nearest to the barracks. Glorfindel went through this, while Elrond continued down to the healing wing.

When he opened the door, the sight that met him did not surprise him, for he had expected it. The twins were sitting up in bed, ferocious scowls plastered across their faces as they exchanged heated words with the healers assigned to them.

'Elladan! Elrohir!' Elrond barked. Both his sons and the healers turned to face him, none of them having heard him enter the room. 'Lie down instantly and do not say another word until you are given leave.'

The twins reluctantly obeyed as Elrond nodded at the healers. They filed out of the room, no doubt inwardly sighing in relief at their dismissal.

'So you have heard of our guest?' Elrond asked curtly.

The twins were too sullen to respond.

'I suppose that you want to know why he is here,' their father continued.

Still no reply.

'Arathorn is in need of additional warriors to help protect his villages from Orc attacks. I have asked Glorfindel to assign twelve of his best men to accompany Arathorn when he returns to his people.'

Elladan opened his mouth but Elrond held up his hand. 'Do not speak,' he warned. 'Were you two planning on staying in the Valley for longer instead of leaving within the week, I would allow you to leave the healing ward at this time. I know, however, that you would never agree to remain at home for so long. What is it, Elladan?'

Elladan spoke up, his voice tight with anger and ill-concealed pain. 'What does it matter to you what we do or where we go? We go to revenge what happened to our mother. I know that you do not care a shred for our reasons, since all you did was stay here, sitting in the comfort of Imladris, while we went and rescued Naneth. You–'

Elladan broke off when he suddenly found Elrond's face right in front of his.

'You think what you like, Elladan,' Elrond answered in a steely voice. 'But you will not ride with Arathorn. You are not yet recovered enough to do so. And I will keep you here, no matter what it takes to do so.'

Now Elrohir spoke. 'You cannot do that, Adar. We are not Elflings. We have our own minds, and we use them.'

'Do you?' snapped Elrond. 'Going out on mad hunts for Orcs does not seem to show intelligence on your parts. Coming back from these more dead than alive every time does no more to convince me. You show me where you are obviously using your heads in all of this.'

The twins were silent, each trying to think of what to say.

'My point is proven,' Elrond said, moving to stand in between their beds. 'Elves are supposed to be renowned for being wise and valiant. If you two represented the Elves for whatever reason, would people's opinions change or stay the same? And if they changed, would it be for the better or worse?'

'How are we not being valiant, Adar?' asked Elladan, unwilling to admit defeat.

'You will deny this as long as you have the strength to, but still I will say it: you are hunting Orcs for yourselves more than your mother. You seek to escape from memories and realities, and to you, the only way to do this is to kill. Granted, it is Orcs you take your wrath out on, but you must remember: the Orcs did not manage to kill your mother. Not her body, not her soul. Her spirit was scarred in such a way that nothing in Middle-earth could cure it, and for this reason she sailed from Arda.' Elrond paused, attempting to swallow the growing lump in his throat and subdue the ache in his chest. 'But we must live in the hope that the eternal peace she will know in Valinor will heal her completely. We must trust that when we see her again, she shall be even more vibrantly beautiful and healthy than she was on this side of the Sea.

'We all have different ways of dealing with her departure: Arwen spends her time with your grandparents in their golden realm, you seek revenge, while to you, I appear to be indifferent to the happenings of the past three hundred and thirty years. Even Glorfindel has been changed: he has ordered longer patrols on the borders and in the mountains, and he trains the warriors in more strict a fashion than before. You tell yourselves that you are doing this with your mother as your foremost thought, but your mother is healing, while your family and friends are fading as they see you both retreating into darkness.'

He glanced at Elladan and Elrohir. Elladan was staring straight ahead, his piercing grey eyes furious and guilty at the same time. Elrohir had turned onto his side, facing the door. Both lay unmoving, silent, as though they did not even hear their father speaking.

He decided to cut his lecture short. 'I will come to you again this evening. In the meantime, prepare me an answer to this question: would your mother have been pleased with her sons' actions? Does your mother want you to avenge what happened to her so many years before?'

Without another word, Elrond swept out of the room.