Chapter Three

"This is the last one," Legolas panted, sliding a large and heavy mirror under Aragorn's bed.

"Good," the Dúnadan said. "Now we may proceed."

The pair padded silently down the hallways until they reached a solid oak door. Legolas touched the handle with light, elven fingers and pushed it open. They slipped quickly into the room, shutting the door as silently as they had opened it behind them.

Aragorn glanced at the two doors on either side of the small sitting room, listening for movement. Legolas was thinking along the same lines, because he said, "Estel, if they awake, we will probably be dead before we have a chance to explain ourselves."

"That is true," Aragorn said, sounding amused. "But their wine was… special, tonight. A stampeding mumak would not wake them."

Legolas grinned. "Shall we humiliate dear Elladan or dear Elrohir first?"

"Dear Elladan, I believe," Aragorn said, leading the way to the door on the left. "He gloated and teased much more and much longer than Elrohir, which is saying something. He deserves it more."

"Which is also saying something."

"Yes."

Creeping silently to the assigned door, Aragorn pressed his ear against it. No sound came from within. Grinning and signaling to Legolas, he pushed open the door and slipped to his elder brother's bedside. Elladan was stretched out luxuriously in the bed, lost in his dreams, blissfully ignorant of the horrors about to be inflicted upon him.

Legolas slung the small sack he was carrying from his shoulder and set it on the desk. Aragorn silently held out his hand, and the Elf fished inside the sack for a moment, before filling the proffered hand.

Aragorn stared at the object Legolas had given him for a moment, marveling at his own genius, before chuckling silently and setting to work.

It did not take long for the two nighttime prowlers to finish with Elladan and move on to Elrohir. Neither twins so much as sniffed in their sleep, and both were still smiling innocently when Aragorn and Legolas crept out of their adjoined rooms and back to their own quarters, immensely satisfied with themselves.

"You are sure there is a private family breakfast tomorrow?" Legolas ensured warily before he closed his doors.

"Yes, I am sure," Aragorn said confidently. "I personally made sure. This is an innocent prank on our part, and will be humorous enough with the family, but I would not want to publicly embarrass them."

"Strange," Legolas mused. "That has never seemed to bother you before."

Aragorn laughed quietly. "Yes, well, I am king now, so I must have some sort of self control, mustn't I?"

Legolas rolled his eyes. "I wonder what the servants will think when they find several of their corridors completely devoid of mirrors."

"What else could we have done?" Aragorn asked. "We couldn't have Dan and Ro glimpsing themselves in the mirrors on their way to breakfast. That would spoil everything. Oh, and do not forget. You must escort Elladan downstairs, and I will escort Elrohir downstairs. They cannot see each other, either."

"Estel," the Elf sighed exasperatedly, "you are one of the most ungrateful, cruel, and ingenious younger brothers ever to exist. The twins must have truly offended Ilúvatar to have gained you as a sibling."

"Ada says teasing is loving," Aragorn crowed happily. "I am simply showing them my affection in a rather more interesting manner."

Legolas snorted, but bid his friend goodnight with a grin and closed the door. Aragorn returned to his chambers with a slight spring in his step, almost writhing with anticipation for the next morning, and wondering vaguely whether he would live to see the next afternoon.