We Reap What We Sow

Kuramagal

(A/N): Okay so I was in my time limit, right? (ducks large heavy objects) Hey! This isn't my fault; I do have a life outside of FFnet that I need to take care of! (readers laugh behind their hands) Anyway, thank you to those of you who reviewed Telcontar Rulz and Oceanforce! Ummm…oh yeah, the chapter! Well this chapter is going to feature a vindictive Glorfindel and Erestor, a furious Estel and co., and a content Elrond. Sound interesting?

As far as updates are concerned, before the end of February! Once again if I fail to fulfill my duty you all may feel free to kill me with a rabid warg.

Summary: An ordinary day in Rivendell turns to pandemonium when the twins seek to avenge an old grudge. How will everyone survive their wrath? And what is lurking beyond the safety of the Last Homely House?

Warning: None … yet.

Chapter Three: Pink and Ink

The sun rose slowly over the valley, casting a warm, happy glow on the surroundings. It caused the waterfall to shimmer like it had been encrusted with jewels. However, Elrond didn't feel warm and happy; all he could feel was the cold glare of the elf in front of him.

Elrond knew that he was going to get it the second he saw his youngest disappear last night. But did Erestor really have to start the morning off like this? A waste of such a lovely morning, he thought to himself as he glanced out the window at the glowing dawn. Elrond then, perhaps for his own physical safety, turned his attention back to the haggard looking elf. He briefly thought of dismissing him until later. But judging by the look the advisor was giving him, mainly one that suggested murder, Elrond guessed he would have to stick it out. After all, he really couldn't afford a mentally unstable Erestor wrecking havoc. It wouldn't look good for the visitor from Lorien to see that, the little voice in his mind told him earnestly. He was really going to have to learn to ignore that voice.

"Good morning, Erestor," Elrond began as politely as he could, "Is there something you need?"

"Something I need?" the other advisor mocked. Elrond blinked. "Something I need!?" Erestor asked again, his voice going up an octave.

"Well," Elrond began, rather perplexed, hadn't the advisor come to him for a reason. "Yes?"

The look he received from the other advisor made his skin crawl. The seething, murderous expression Erestor wore now would have killed the Lord of Mordor himself. "I really am sorry, mellon-nin," Elrond said, sympathetically, "I really don't know what influenced them to do whatever they did to you. But I assure you, they will be punished," Elrond said matter-of-factly hoping his words would placate the other elf. He soon realized that he was gravely mistaken.

"Punish them?" Erestor seethed, "I think you should kill them!" Elrond blinked and then sighed. So much for promising to 'always love and protect them,' the half-elven lord thought.

"Do you know what I did last night while you were asleep, Elrond?" Erestor asked, his voice taking on a mad tone. Elrond shook his head, words temporally failing him. What in all of Arda could be so bad that even Erestor would complain? Elrond didn't know, but he was fairly sure he'd find out soon. The chief advisor took a deep breath and then said. "I did paper work!"

Elrond blinked, he had been expecting something more…dramatic…especially from this of his advisors… But paper work? Thranduil had said once that he worked his advisors too hard, but since it was Thranduil who said it, he had ignored it. Perhaps he should have listened… It was then and there that Elrond decided that he needed…No, needed wasn't strong enough. He had to lower Erestor workload.

"I see…Well if you think it would be helpful, I will lower your workload," Elrond said trying to appease the other lord. Erestor's reaction was not gratitude or thanks as Elrond had expected, but shear anger.

"Lower my workload!" Erestor practically shrieked flinging his hands in the air and scattering several of Elrond's papers in the process. The elven lord winced slightly, but didn't have time to reprimand the other advisor as Erestor had already started on another tangent. "As if I was some incompetent fool?! I never, in all my years of service thought I would hear those words from you!"

Elrond was apparently still very out of the loop, because he didn't have an adequate response for Erestor's outburst. So he only stared at his advisor as he began to ramble on.

"It's those sons of yours fault!"

"Erestor."

"I'll make them pay for every one of their dirty little tricks! Take away my workload, I'll take away something of theirs!"

"Erestor."

"I'll show them! I'll first cut their bow strings and then I'll hide their knives! I'll…"

"ERESTOR!"

The other advisor stopped, two of his fingers still out from counting off just what he'd planned to do to Elrond's sons; Elrond tried his best not be disturbed by the maddened look in the others eyes. "Would you please tell me, since I am clearly lost, what exactly they did to you?" Elrond asked, a bit of impatience in his tone.

Erestor blinked as though he just realized that Elrond was not a mind reader, and therefore had not one idea what he was throwing holy hell about. The chief advisor took a deep breath and then began talking in a much calmer tone, much to Elrond and the papers' relief.

"I was mildly swamped with work yesterday," Erestor began. The understatement of the year, Elrond's mind prompted, though he smiled in what he thought to be an encouraging way and Erestor continued. "With the feast and the envoys, as well as the traders that were coming next week, I had a lot to do. So I promised myself that before the feast I would have it all done," Erestor said, his face set in a grimace as her remembered the many unpleasant hours he had spent. "I worked from the early afternoon on, never stopping. I finished my last paper and then headed down to the feast. After the feast I returned to put my papers away, and found all of the paper I had done blank."

Elrond looked at his advisor. "Blank?" he questioned. "You're sure you did all of them?"

Erestor gave his lord a look of pure contempt. "Oh yes," he replied venomously. The chief advisor looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead he said, "I then looked at the ink I had used and realized that the mixture was…off. It wasn't one of the mixtures I normally use. In fact, it hadn't even come from my ink cabinet at all." Elrond could feel a slight sick feeling in his stomach, and with furtive eyes look to his own inkwell.

Erestor saw his eyes move to the inkwell. "You'd know if yours was different, all the paperwork you did yesterday would have disappeared." Elrond sighed, relieved, and Erestor continued. "So, at first I wondered if perhaps I had dreamed doing the paperwork. I began working on some more papers. When I finished with them, I found that they were disappearing. I worked with another bottle of ink, writing out the papers. It too began to fade."

Elrond stared at the other, now quite sure that he was working his advisors too hard. Erestor is having hallucinations about paper work? If this is what my sons pranks did to the most unruffled of my advisors … then I'd hate to think what they would have done to Glorfindel, Elrond thought, slight panic rising up in him.

"And then I did it with another, which also faded. And then it finally dawned on me what had happened … who had happened," Erestor added bitterly. "I went off in search of another bottle of ink; it was about three in the morning at that time. And so I sat down and began to work, and I didn't finish until dawn," Erestor ended. Elrond realized that the advisor had apparently run out of energy, for he was not longer shouting and carrying on.

"Mellon-nin," Elrond said, standing. "I am truly sorry and I understand your anger," Elrond said. "I assure you they will be punished. In fact I have the perfect idea," Elrond began, his mind working quickly. "The twins and Estel will do your paperwork for today. You know how they relish it," Elrond said, trying to make his voice take on a vindictive tone. "While they do so, you are free to regain the sleep you have lost," Elrond offered, standing and rather forcibly helping the other out of his office. "Don't worry about anything today; just rest."

Erestor looked at Elrond, "I think that seems reasonable," he said, much calmer. "Though, there is something that's been bothering me."

"Oh? What is that?" Elrond asked, thinking about how very sorry his sons were going to be when he found them.

"Well, when I had my little bit of fun on the twins and Legolas, I wasn't alone. Glorfindel was the one who really did most of it. I just found it strange that they would only take their anger out on me," the advisor mused.

Elrond didn't even have the time to answer. As if on cue a loud and very angry shout could be heard, and Elrond already knew who it was coming from. He moved away from the door and sat down at his desk, massaging his temples. Erestor looked at him. "I believe that was Glorfindel," he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, I do agree, and I suspect it will only take him two minutes to reach my office. So if you would be so kind as to leave, I need to come up with another sufficient punishment in the next minute and thirty seconds," Elrond said, continuing to massage his temples. Erestor nodded, and then left the other to think.

It actually only took Glorfindel a minute to reach Elrond office, but Elrond made up for the lost thirty second by just staring at the other for their duration. Glorfindel's hair was pink…and not just any pink either. Bright, vibrant, neon pink and it sorely reminded him of the robes incident about fifteen years ago. Glorfindel had been very angry about that incident, and Elrond was sure that he would be livid about this one.

"Mellon-nin," Elrond said, his eyes wide and never leaving the ancient warrior. "I promise they will be punished, I can't come up with a sufficient punishment right now! But I assure you they will!"

"Erestor," Glorfindel began, choking and stuttering on his words, "May…not…have…killed them…but I will!" His choking was finished with a bellow and Elrond actually had to grab a hold of Glorfindel's robes to keep him from going off and killing his heirs.

There were many things that Elrond would have let Glorfindel do to his sons, some even that he found a little violent, but killing them was out of the question. "Not now, mellon-nin," Elrond said dragging the other back in his office. It was more difficult than appeared, as Elrond, though he was tall, was very willowy and not a match for the strong blond he was supposed to be restraining. "I promise I will let you punish them, hurt them maybe, but you can't kill them!" Elrond knew Glorfindel well and knew that he would never, under normal circumstances, kill his sons. But right now these weren't normal circumstances!

"Elrond!" Glorfindel sputtered as his longtime friend quite forcefully pushed him into a chair. "I don't know what you're going to do to them, but it better have happened before I see them again. And it better include chains, whips or at the very least a dragon!" Glorfindel shouted.

Elrond resisted the urge to laugh, as it wouldn't bode well for him if Glorfindel turned his anger on him. "No mellon-nin, I'm afraid dragons are out of the picture. I wouldn't know where to find one," Elrond commented, as he picked up Glorfindel locks and began to try and see how deep his sons dye had gotten into Glorfindel blond hair.

"A pity," Elrond distinctly heard Glorfindel say, "At least they wouldn't be able to dye its hair pink." Elrond had to admit he did have a point. There were a lot of things that the twins would do, but anything that involved pink and a dragon wasn't going to bode well for them. Their punishment, namely death, wouldn't outweigh the joy of seeing a dragon speckled with pink.

"Glorfindel, was it not you who said that you would protect them no matter what?" Elrond asked, trying to keep the dismay out of his voice when he saw that the twins dye had gone down to the other's roots.

"Aye, Elrond I did," the once blond affirmed. "But I didn't realize at the time that the one I would be protecting them from was myself," Glorfindel grumbled softly so that someone without elven hearing wouldn't have heard a word he said..

Unfortunately, Elrond was elven and did posses elven hearing. "Now mellon-nin, I'm sure you won't feel that way after this dye is out of your hair," Elrond soothed.

"It will come out?" Glorfindel asked, his voice daring to hope. Elrond cringed, he hadn't meant today, or even tomorrow, perhaps with several long onerous scrubbings a week, but anything before that would be a complete miracle.

"Well," Elrond began not sure how to begin, "The good news is that it will come out." Elrond hated the elated look that came to the blonde's- ex-blonde's, he corrected- face. "But not for a while," he finished quickly and quietly. Had Glorfindel not had elven hearing, he would have only heard mumbles. Unfortunately for a lot of people, Glorfindel did posses elven hearing, and very precise and acute hearing it was.

"Those little monsters! I'm going to-"

"I'd appreciate it you didn't recite just how you're going to kill my sons. Erestor already gave me a detailed description earlier." Elrond shuddered. "And I think one account of how my sons are going to die is all one father can bear a day," Elrond cut his friend off and fixed him with a mild glare.

Glorfindel grumbled something. "What was that?" Elrond asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Glorfindel stated. Then completely out of the blue he said, "I hope you realize that I won't be escorting that party to Lorien. Not now at least," Glorfindel added for emphasis.

Elrond rubbed his forehead. "Yes, I suspected as much. Haldir would never let you forget it, would he? That is, if you came with pink hair."

"I think not," Glorfindel said curtly thinking of the blond captain of Lorien. They shared an…interesting relationship. Mainly it was like his and Erestor's relationship with the twins. Caution was a far more useful method of dealing with him then just blatant trust. "Nor would my own warriors, for that matter." Those words triggered something in Elrond's memory.

"Glorfindel," Elrond began, his mind mulling over yesterdays events. "I would like to know why you sent Captain Ainion to my office to talk about that scouting job. I thought as the leading advisor for our defenses, I had given you permission to approve such things?" Elrond questioned. To his surprise Glorfindel's face began to take on a rosier hue. "Glorfindel?"

"I … um had … another visitor at the time," Glorfindel said, his face now a shade of red that began to seriously worry Elrond. Had Glorfindel been any redder, Elrond would have been sure that he was suffering from some rare illness.

"A visitor?" Elrond prompted still very confused, That seemed to be his thing for the day, confusion.

"Yes," Glorfindel said, still red and now looking very uncomfortable. "A she-elf." That was all Elrond needed to hear.

"Oh," Elrond said, his eyes widened and then he sighed. "I see."

"Yes, well …" Glorfindel looked extremely uncomfortable.

Elrond shook his head. What was he going to do with his advisors? One was neurotic, and the other was…still acted like a hormonal teenager. Elrond sighed. And to add to his problems, he now had to find another leader to take the party to Lorien. "Who?" he asked himself aloud.

"Excuse me my lord?" Glorfindel asked.

"Hm?" Elrond said, confused.

"You said 'who,' and for the record Elrond, I'm not going to tell you the name of every elf-maiden I …" Glorfindel trailed off.

Now it was Elrond turn to blush, "No you misunderstood me. I was more talking to myself. I was trying to think of who I could send in your place." Did Glorfindel think he wanted to know the poor girl's name?

Glorfindel still looked suspicious. "As you say," Glorfindel acquiesced, and then he raised a tentative hand to his hair. He felt the stiff blond locks for a moment and then shut his eyes, a look of anger crossing over his face. For a second, Elrond was worried that he would have to restrain his friend again. However, when Glorfindel did speak, he found he was completely wrong. "You know I would never hurt your sons."

It was a statement, nevertheless Elrond felt inclined to answer the question in it. "Yes, mellon-nin, I, along with the rest of Imladris, know that."

"You then also realize that I will be 'unavailable' for the next couple of days?" Glorfindel pressed. Elrond understood this to be a question.

"Yes," Elrond paused. "Though really, mellon-nin it isn't that bad, perhaps …" Elrond stopped, coming to the realization, perhaps from Glorfindel's dark glare, that he was going to loose this battle.

"Elrond," Glorfindel began a little more forcefully, "I will be unavailable. I'm not here; I don't care if the great Manwë himself comes calling for me. You will tell him I am unavailable." So was it Glorfindel's way to make sure his directions were explicitly understood. If Manwë comes calling for him, then we have more trouble than we know, Elrond thought; a wiry smile coming to his face.

"Understood, my friend."

"Good, now if you could lend me a cloak, or something with which I can cover this horrendous mess I call hair, I'll slip back to my rooms and be no more for the rest of the week," Glorfindel looked at Elrond expectantly. Elrond sighed and handed him a mauve cloak.

"Mauve?" Glorfindel questioned, looking in disgust at the color choice, "Who, my lord, created this abomination?"

"Ah," Elrond said a faint smile raising the corners of his lips, "It was maroon but a few years ago. But in the process of one of my sons' pranks, which I believe was meant for you, it became this … lovely hue."

"Lovely," Glorfindel repeated, and then with a final roll of his eyes he swung the cloak over his shoulders and pulled the hood up. "Covered?" he asked tugging the material a little closer around his face.

"Completely," Elrond affirmed. Glorfindel nodded, and then without another word, the military advisor slipped of the study and into the warm early morning light. Elrond breathed a sigh of relief. That had gone … 'well' wasn't exactly the right word, but all right would cover it. He had actually expected something more … violent, perhaps that was the right word. Whatever had possessed his sons to do this, he knew they were going to have to be severely punished, for their sakes at least. And he'd better do it fast, Manwë only knew what would happen if his advisors found them first.

Two down, four to go. Now the only thing he had to do was find his sons. It was about time they had a little chat.

"It was immature!" Elrond seethed. He had finally found his sons and the Prince of Mirkwood after nearly an hour's worth of searching and he was making up for that hour by yelling at them for another; he was very surprised he hadn't become hoarse. Why oh why, did his sons insist on baiting his advisors? He would have thought the first two hour discussion they had had about this sort of thing would have quenched their desire to perform these pranks. "I can understand that Erestor can be rather …" Elrond paused to search for the word, but apparently his mind wasn't working today. "It doesn't matter! You should have never replaced his ink with invisible ink!"

Never before had he ever done something like this, not in all of his years would he have thought to touch something in an advisor's room! Though it was rather amusing … but it was still childish and irresponsible! Especially since Erestor had all of those papers… Elrond shook his head; it had to come from Celebrían's side of the family. Surely he had never done anything like this! "But on top of that all, you just had to dye Glorfindel's hair pink?" he stared at all of their faces, which all stared determinedly back. Elrond sighed for the millionth time today. Why him? What had his ancestors done that was so bad that this was what he had to deal with?

"Ada, please if they hadn't done what they had-" Elladan never got to finish his sentence.

"Yes, yes I know what they did. I've heard about it at least twenty times apiece! Nevertheless, they are still your elders and you will respect them! Do I make myself clear?" Elrond asked sternly. There was a collective of yes's and maybe one no, though Elrond's ears might have been fooling him. He decided that he would think that, as he couldn't decipher just where the 'no' had come from. "Good, and now for your punishments-" but Elrond wasn't going to get to finish his statement.

"Punishments!?" Elrohir asked incredulously, "You didn't punish them when they did that!" the younger twin was about to go through the roof.

"Yes, because they ….are…my…advisors!" Elrond stressed out every word. What, he wondered, was so hard for them to understand about that? Could they really see him punishing Erestor, for Manwë sake? Or Arda forbid, Glorfindel? Elrond laughed in spite of himself, he could barely get them to listen to him, much less punish them. "Now for your punishments," he began again. The group started to grumble, "Elladan and Legolas, you will be heading to Mirkwood with envoys," Elrond began, "As well as a letter to your father about the conduct you have exhibited here."

"What!?" Legolas sputtered, "You can't be serious!" the prince looked as though someone had slapped him, hard across the face.

"Yes, Legolas," Elrond said smoothly, "I am very serious. Though I don't have it in my power to punish you, I'm sure your father does.

"I understand that, Lord Elrond. But-" Legolas began, words failing him.

"-I know of your father's interesting methods of punishment but I have assured him that if he exhibits any of them on you or my son I will be severely displeased. Besides if it will quell your anger, I shall let you know that Elladan positively despises envoy work. And," Elrond continued rounding on Estel and Elrohir, who were beginning to think they had gotten off easy, "Estel and Elrohir both hate paperwork, which they will be doing until you return or Erestor either takes pity on them or gets fed up with their nonchalance."

Elrohir looked at Estel; both faces mirrored one another in looks of disgust.

"Hold on a moment Ada," Elladan said, "You said something about punishing me in Mirkwood."

Elrond's smile got bigger, "Oh yes," he said, "I'm giving Thranduil full control over you for a time." Elladan looked like all the wind was knocked out of him.

"What?" the eldest spluttered. "But Ada, the last time that Elrohir and I went to Mirkwood we …" Elladan cut himself off. When he was calm enough to speak, Elladan said. "I strongly oppose this idea!"

Elrond smile, "I'm well aware of that. I also know of the little incident involving Thranduil and a rather large pot of honey." Elladan blushed to his roots. "But I don't think he will take it to heart. After all, I don't harbor a grudge from when Legolas accidentally shoved me into the Bruinen thinking I was you," Elrond said. Now it was Legolas' turn to blush.

"There, now do you have anything else to say about this?" There were a few grumbles, and a few dark glares, but besides that nothing. "Excellent," Elrond said. "Now, if you two will come with me …" Elrond paused from taking Elrohir and Estel's hands to look up as a figure passed by them.

It was at that moment, as Elrond was finishing his discussion with the quartet that Glorfindel chose to leave his rooms for a few moments. Hadn't the advisor told him he would be 'unavailable?' When he passed them, they all stared in shock. They had expected pink, but from what they could see under his cloak, this was far better and pinker.

"You said his hair would have a slight pink tinge to it!" Elrond heard Estel whispered to Elladan as he looked at the once-blond advisor with wide eyes.

The eldest brother shrugged, "Perhaps I made the mixture too strong."

"Perhaps!" Estel whispered indignantly, "Elladan, his hair is hot pink!"

The eldest twin looked bored. "Your point is?"

"You said he would be able to wash it out!"

"Yes," Elladan replied with a satisfied smile. "I just didn't specific when."

Elrond sighed contently as his finished his umpteenth letter, his office bathed in the late morning sunlight. He smiled, satisfied both with the ambiance and with the contents of his letter as he began to proofread it. The letter which he now glanced over was a letter to Thranduil, King of Mirkwood. In it Elrond had dictated just what had transpired during the past couple of weeks and asked Thranduil if he might find suitable punishment for both Legolas and his son.

It wasn't a lot to ask, Elrond reminded himself. After all these past couple of weeks that Legolas had been with them had been hell in a basket. Granted, he loved the younger elf, he was like a fourth son to him. But every time he and the twins got together, chaos ensued.

He was just finishing sealing the letter when a loud knock resounded from his door. Elrond looked up, puzzled for a second as to who would be disturbing him now, but then realization came to his eyes and he said. "Enter."

The tall strapping figure that entered looked just as puzzled as Elrond had before, but being a good, intelligent warrior, Ainion tried not to let it show. He had to admit when the page came to tell him that Lord Elrond wanted to see him he was rather frightened. He had first thought of seeking out Lord Glorfindel to ask exactly what was going on, but then he remembered that he had not seen the other at breakfast that morning. In fact, he hadn't seen him all morning. The captain looked at his lord, "You requested my presence?" he questioned.

"Yes," Elrond said standing up from his desk, "I want you to lead the party to Lorien." The captain's eyes grew wide. Why would he be leading the party to Lorien? What was going on?

"Please don't think me of being ungrateful, my lord, but wasn't that Lord Glorfindel responsibility?" The captain looked very confused and slightly worried for his commanding officer. Elrond sighed. This was just a very, very bad day.

"Yes, captain, you are correct. I had originally planned for Glorfindel to lead this little trip. But due to some little incidents this morning, involving my sons and a rather … messy ordeal, he is currently indisposed…" Elrond purposely left the statement hanging. After all, any inhabitant of Rivendell knew what he meant when the words sons, Glorfindel and messy were used.

The captain tried to keep his face as neutral as possible. "Messy, my lord?" In his vocabulary, messy meant bloody, but surely the sons of Elrond wouldn't purposely hurt their father's chief military leader. Would they? After all, Ainion thought, what Elrond's military and chief advisor had done to the twins and Prince Legolas earlier this week had been … messy. Yes, Ainion thought, that about covered it.

"Yes, messy, captain," Elrond affirmed, and then added, "But he will recover, physically if not spiritually.

Ainion gulped, what happened? "Right, my lord," he agreed, not knowing what had happened and quite frankly not wanting to. "Then shall I go and prepare?"

"Yes, thank you captain," Elrond said. "If I recall correctly, you said that there had been a band of orcs spotted near our western boundary."

"Yes, my lord. I had," Ainion replied.

"Do you believe this will interfere with the party going to Lorien?" Elrond asked seriously.

Ainion shook his head. "We have received no further reports. I don't believe it's going to be a problem."

"Very well, you will be leaving tomorrow rather than today, as it would be impossible to leave before sunset," Elrond said, dismissing the other.

Ainion nodded exited his lord's office. Then, still pondering the Lord Glorfindel incident, he moved hastily to get ready for the next day. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he didn't want to meet the twins, especially now. He considered it a stroke of fortune that he received this assignment. It meant he would not be able to be in the crossfire between the advisors and his lord's sons. It had to be bad. After all, 'messy' was not a word used often in the Last Homely House. And when it was, it could only mean pain, death or doom for whoever was associated with it.

"I still can't believe he's doing this to us!" Elladan said or really whined as he and Legolas walked the hallways. They had just finished their little conversation with his father. Afterwards, Elrond had quite literally dragged his twin and younger brother off to do Erestor's bidding. Elladan was actually quite surprised his father had found them. That is the last time I listen to Elrohir when he says he had a 'good' hiding spot. It only took father an hour to find us!

"At least you don't have to face my father!" Legolas retorted. The prince was in a very sour mood indeed, and from what Elladan knew about the King of Mirkwood, he had come to the conclusion that he wouldn't see his friend for a long, long time. "I most likely will be locked in a dungeon or tied to a tree for the rest of eternity!"

Elladan suddenly got a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "Yes," the eldest son of Elrond began, "But it's a long road to Mirkwood. We'll have a sporting chance of being able to run away while we're traveling. After all, if we really need to I can always push you off a cliff."

Legolas' eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Excuse me, but I think my father would highly disapprove of that," the prince stated. "If fact, I'm sure he would."

"But, think about it mellon-nin," Elladan began smiling broadly, "Your father would be so worried about you that he would forget all about the little things, like the lovely note we're bring him. And the people that accompany it, say me. Would it really be that bad?" he questioned conspiratorially.

Legolas, who was firmly against being shoved, thrown, kicked, or in any manner removed from a cliff's side, was about to tell Elladan just what he though Elladan could do with his proposal when someone ran into him, literally. Legolas, who had been at the head of the group, went flying to the side as a rather ruffled looking captain skidded to a halt in front of them. The haste in the other's movements was changed to sheer terror when he saw who had a run into.

"My lord!" Ainion exclaimed, looking absolutely terrified.

Legolas took Elladan's outstretched hand and hoisted himself to his feet. "Are you alright?" the eldest of Elrond's sons asked his friend. Legolas found this rather ironic, since the twin had just be plotting to throw him off a cliff.

"Fine," Legolas affirmed, his eyes never leaving the obviously terrified elf in front of him. He then and there made up his mind that the Noldor were absolutely neurotic. Indeed the look this one combine with what Elladan had just suggested, about summed up everything his father had warned him about. Perhaps he should take to listening to his father more often.

"Good morning, Ainion," Elladan greeted, looking at the other elf curiously. Ainion was giving both Legolas and him such a peculiar look that he almost questioned the other on it. Almost.

"My lords," Ainion said, giving them a quick bow. Elladan thought the bow was a little too quick, Ainion was acting like Legolas and he were going to sacrifice him to some wargs. Perhaps, then he heard the good news, Elladan's mind supplied as a twisted smile came on his fair face.

Ainion saw the smile. "I'm sorry, my lord, Prince Legolas, but I must be going!" And in a fashion that could have been called 'fleeing for your life' had he not been elven, Ainion disappeared down the hall. Both Legolas and Elladan looked at one another.

"He's a rather interesting fellow," Legolas commented, like one would comment on the weather, not a neurotic elf that was terrified of you.

"Very. Normally he is much more poised. Sorry my friend, today seems to be a bad day for him to meet new people," Elladan agreed, trying very hard to keep the smile off his face. He would have succeeded, if Legolas hadn't burst out laughing at that exact moment.

Had anyone walked down that hallway at that moment, they would have probably agreed with Legolas' earlier thoughts, though they might have added Silvan's to their list of the insane elves of middle earth. For that poor being would have seen the esteemed Prince of Mirkwood and Lord Elrond's eldest son howling like wargs. It would have finalized the fact that all elves were going mad.

But since no one did come, Elladan and Legolas took their time to stop howling with laughter. When they had both calm considerably, Legolas smiled and said, "I think he heard about Glorfindel's little accident last night."

"Perhaps, or maybe he was just awed by your presence, oh great prince of Mirkwood," Elladan said with a smile, ducking quickly to avoid the none-to-gentle punch that was aimed at him.

"Perhaps," the prince stated. "Perhaps we should get moving before I decide to really hit you."

Elladan had to force himself not to laugh at Legolas' threat. True the prince could hit relatively hard, but Legolas, who possessed a willowy, lithe body, was really no match for his brother or him. His mortal ancestry, however slight, still gave him broader shoulders and a slightly bigger build than the prince. And when combined with his mostly elvish blood, it gave him dominance in almost every fight. Estel too had broader shoulders than both his brothers and Legolas, however he was slightly shorter. "Perhaps," he replied back.

Legolas narrowed his blue eyes, but said nothing. So the duo continued down the hallway towards Erestor study where they presumed Lord Elrond had dragged Estel and Elrohir off to work. Legolas smiled as the mental image of Estel and Elrohir being dragged off, by their father no less, came to mind. It was one of those priceless images. It would have only been better if Lord Elrond had dragged them by their ears.

Legolas could barely keep the smile off his face as he and Elladan entered the chief advisors study to find Estel and Elrohir currently at work writing Eru knows how many documents.

"Oh good, your not him," Elrohir said looking up as the two elves entered Erestor office. It didn't take much in the way of brain power to realize the 'him' Elrohir had been referring to. "I never gave Erestor credit for this, but I do feel sorry now." He, like his younger brother, was sitting at a desk an enormous pile of letters, treaties, and whatnot spread out in front of him. "I can't believe he finished all of this yesterday!" the twin exclaimed.

His twin sat lightly on the edge of one of the large chairs, while Legolas' sat by the open window. "The only reason you're sorry," his brother said, tapping his leg lightly against the chair. "Is because you now have to do all of it."

Elrohir would have loved to argue with his brother and tell him he was wrong (after all it was one of his favorite things to do) but even he could not say that that wasn't the tiniest reason why he was sorry. Hell with that, he'd never been this sorry in his life. "Fine, then I'm very sorry for myself," the twin said proving his brother's point.

"You can't be as sorry as I am," the prince stated looking forbiddingly out the window. "I have to deliver a letter to my father which states that I dyed lord Glorfindel's hair pink! Do you know how sorry I am?" questioned the prince.

Estel's eyebrows quirked, "Apparently very," the mortal said soundly slight frustrated as he signed off a letter. This task, although hard for anyonew as especially so for him. He, unlike his brother, was not elven and therefore didn't posses the ability to write beautiful script with ease. In fact it took him about twice as long to write the elegant way of the elves.

"At least you'll be outside," Elrohir said, as he began to tackle a long list that Erestor had apparently started yesterday. He was quite sure the advisor had not finished all of this, but was giving them extra work to do. But how we he supposed to know, all of his proof was invisible! "Knowing Erestor, he'll come in here and shut all of the windows because, and mind you this is according to him, 'we don't want the rain to ruin the parchment!'" Elrohir screeched in a high falsetto voice that surprisingly sounded fairly like the councilor.

The others laughed. Even Legolas, who had the least experience with the advisor, could image Erestor shrieking in just a way. "True brother," Elladan agreed. "So you best get this done quickly."

Elrohir smiled a winning smile. "Any chance you might help?" Elrohir asked coyly.

Elladan smiled back and then turned to Legolas, "Legolas, I think it's about time we packed, don't you agree?" he asked the blond.

Legolas smiled and with a nod replied, "Yes, definitely. After all, we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

"Yes, and remind me to pack lots of bandages, mellon-nin," Elladan said smugly, "We'll need lots of them to pull this off." And without another word Elladan left his fuming brothers and office behind, laughing the entire time at the dirty looks Legolas was throwing him.

A little shorter than usual but still I would appreciate reviews for it! After all author is to reviews as what normal person is to food. Speaking of food, I think I'll go bake a cake as I've been typing this for three hours straight. (Smiles in a insane sort of way)

Thanks again to my beta, Kalisona! (We still have snow issues!) Urg!

See you all next time!

Kuramagal