Disclaimer: Middle Earth and the elves belong to JRR Tolkin

Elemmire and Amdir

Chapter One. The Foundlings

Two elves travelled through the deep valley wrapping their cloaks around their shoulders despite not being able to feel the cold. A grey mist swirled about them; floating a few inches off the cold ground.

The first elf stopped his dappled grey horse and looked over his shoulder at his companion. Belladir snorted a mist rising from his quivering nostrils he pawed the ground with his heavy hooves as if he too was as impatient as his master.

"Elrohir, hurry up." He barely raised his voice above a whisper but his companion's sharp ears heard him perfectly.

The second rider upon a black stallion, named Telwah, raised his chin proudly and grinned at his brother; his twin.

"We're not going to make anywhere by nightfall, Elladan," Elrohir replied lightly gesturing around at their surroundings. "Besides we're already late. Ada will be mad at us for missing the Mirkwood delegation no matter how early we reach home."

Elladan snorted loudly. "But travelling at the pace of an ill tempered hobbit will not help either."

Elrohir clicked his tongue impatiently and kicked his stallion's flacks and soon the twins were side by side. Elladan smiled wryly at his brother before turning and staring fixedly in front.

"Danger is out there."

Elrohir shrugged used to his brother's pessimism. "Danger is everywhere."

Elladan didn't reply he craned his neck back and looked up into the darkening sky. He felt his skin crawl and the gooseflesh on his normally indifferent skin; he could feel it. And he had only felt this once before in his long immortal life. Something was out there.

Elrohir didn't share his brother's worry. He tilted his head slightly and stared to hum an elfish song he had learned early in his childhood years.

Elladan ground his teeth together tightly and grimaced in an annoyance at his brother, who had been able to irate him as quick as a speeding arrow since their birth.

"Sorry," Elrohir apologised lightly knowing he had successful irked his brother. This didn't stop a small, badly concealed smile creeping onto his face.

"You're such an elfling," Elladan commented slyly. As he predicted his younger twin bristled at the jibe and hissed threateningly in reply.

Silence followed for an uncomfortable time. The sky was darkening at a frightening pace. Night was already upon them.

Elladan turned Belladir towards the side of the road. "We'll stop here."

Elrohir made no reply but complied with his twin; following meekly.

Elladan was determined to keep a close watch over their campsite that night. The silence of the air did nothing to quell his uneasy gut feelings.

So while Elrohir was resting he climbed a tree nearby and settling himself comfortably to listen and to watch. Minutes ticked by and Elladan felt his blood grow increasingly cold in anticipation of danger. He was sure of something was out there; yet he had nothing to prove it.

The moon rose sluggishly into the midnight blue sky. The stars overhead struggled to shine through the clouds and mist.

Elladan was about to give up his notion that danger was near when he heard the unmistakable sound a harsh call. His head snapped up and swivelled around. He swallowed and slipped from his hiding position. He reached the ground as the call was repeated. A different pitch a little more to the left… they were heading towards the campsite.

With the swift motion of his kind, Elladan moved towards where he knew his resting brother was. Elrohir was already moving towards the horses and packing up the camp.

The twin brothers exchanged knowing glances but otherwise made no move to communicate. Another deep harsh call resounded about them. They worked furiously, nimble fingers fiddling with foolish noisy tacks and saddles.

Within minutes of the first cry both brothers were mounted and moving away from the cries of the 'hunters.' It was true that neither twin knew the purposes of the other beings but they had no desire to make their presence known.

Belladir and Telwah moved fluidly their hooves moving in perfect unison. Until…

A high pitch cry of terror rent through the air, cutting the tension around the twin elves like a double edged sword. The cry was follow by another higher and more desperate.

Elrohir pulled Telwah back fiercely and tilted his head to one side, listening. His keen elvish ears thought they could hear sobbing on the wind. Without a thought for the consequences he pulled Telwah around and kicked his mount into a flying canter.

Elladan turned Belladir around moments after his brother just in time to see his twin disappearing into the night; melting away into the shadows. Using every curse word in elvish Elladan sighed inwardly and followed his brother, trusting Belladir to guide him as well as his elvish senses.

The grey horse pulled his neck forward and stretched his powerful legs, his hooves ripping at the ground underneath as they sped after the elusive twin.

More harsh cries punctured the night air as the twins galloped wildly in the dark. Elladan came in view within moments of his brother; he saw Telwah hit a long silvery stream. A cascade of water sprayed up from the speeding legs of the stallion; descending slowly back into the churned river. A moment later Elrohir was lifted a squirming strange thing into the saddle.

Elladan didn't have a moment's notice to wonder what the strange thing was that Elrohir had rescued. He hoped frantically it wasn't something terribly dangerous. Elrohir had a history of 'rescuing' creatures from the wilds.

What had captured Elladan's attention was a small hunting party of humans. They too were mounted. But instead of the graceful, elegant horses favoured by the elves their mounts were short shaggy haired ponies.

Elladan had pulled out his bow, notched an arrow, aimed and fired a warning shot before the men could cry out in alarm.

At the sight of two elvish lords; armed and willing to fight. The humans hesitated before returning Elladan's favour.

"Give us back our goods."

Elladan lowered his bow slightly; so slightly the human eye would have hardly caught the movement.

Elrohir looked to his bundle in his arms, which was obscured from Elladan's line of sight. "Goods?" he repeated almost dumbly and glanced back at the humans with narrowed slitted eyes. "Goods?" Elladan was so well attuned to his brother he caught the annoyance and fury from his brother's calm and quiet words. The human's however weren't not so perceptive.

"Now elf."

"No human commands me, manling."

The human snorted. But before he had notched his arrow, Elladan had fired his. The tip of the arrow pierced the man's throat.

Humans aren't known for their intelligence raised their weapons against the elvish twins. Without barely pausing Elladan and Elrohir had brought all of the men down… dead…

Elladan pushed his hair from his eyes and glanced to the humans then back to his brother. His anger at this brother for galloping off had died away.

"What was all that about?"

Elrohir sighed heavily as if something weighed heavily on his mind. He turned his horse around slowly. Until the brother's were face to face. Elrohir indicated to the bundle in his arms pointedly.

Elladan looked down with shock. A two pairs of eyes neither blue or green stared at him like big watery pools. Two little faces; framed in long mattered dark inky black, gazed up him almost innocently.

Elrohir pushed one of the being's hair back revealing a small pointed ear.

"Elfings," Elladan gasped in surprise, "they're only babies." The small twins pouted at him.

"Twin elfings," Elrohir added with a grin.

"I am not an elf," one of the small twins said softly and rather shyly.

Elrohir laughed lightly and patted his head. "Aren't they cute? Ada will have to let us keep them!"

Elladan frowned visibly. Who knew what crazy ideals his brother was formulating in his head. "At least we can blame being late on your foundlings," he said ruefully before turning Belladir away.

"That's not fair," one of the little twins snapped irritably. "We didn't ask to be rescued by you."

Elrohir chuckled and lead his horse to the bank before dismounting and helping the youngsters off the back of the horse.

Elladan watched a little way off in surprise at the difficulty his brother was having.

"They're chained together," Elrohir murmured. He bent down to the elfling's level and locked eyes with the small pair. One ducked around his brother, a small finger winding around his midnight black eyes. The other lifted his chin and stared back his small jaw jutted forward and chest poking out.

Elrohir took in their apparel. Small human clothes… or rather rags. Rags that was filthy and torn and a tad bit too small. Their little feet were bear and bleeding and blistered. Mud and blood smeared both of their faces. Both were shivering violently.

Elrohir took his cloak around his shoulder and wrapped the twinlings up tightly. Both still looked blue, he rubbed their shoulders and started when the shier twin shied and recoiled with a yelp of fright. He stepped back and tripped sending his bound brother toppling on top of him.

Big blue-green eyes stared up in horror into Elohir's face as the little one attempted to scurry away. His twin held him in place admonishing his brother saying, "Don't be stupid. Can you see a whip?"

The frightened elfling looked Elrohir over critically with a strange scrutiny. Finally he shook his head and slowly stood although he was certain to make sure he stood a little behind his sibling.

"I'm Elrohir," Elrohir said touching his chest lightly with one hand. He then gestured to his brother who was mumbling while making camp. "My brother Elladan."

Elladan looked up in time to see two pair of eyes squinting at him in deep scrutiny. He nodded curtly at the pair of elflings.

"We're twin…" the bold twin announced proudly, "or you call us boy…"

"…or you.."

"… or hey you…"

"… squirt…"

"… or immortal…" the little elfling added a common curse word that made both Elrohir and Elladan started and glance at each other.

"So much for innocent," Elladan commented wryly.

"Do you have a proper name?" Elrohir asked gently to the two children.

The smaller pair of twins glanced at each other then their identical gazes turned simultaneously to Elrohir blank and confused.

"Why would we have a name?" the shy one demanded shifting his little foot into the soft bank. "We're slaves…"