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Recap

Alice had been learning to ride alongside Sam. She had learned to ride back home but in Eomer's opinion it was a pretty awful and was completely re-schooling her. So in some respects she was worse off than Sam, but she was getting there… Alice watched her surroundings as her new friends settled around her in companionship. It may not have been what she had in mind for her 18th birthday party. But it was so much better!

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Alice and Sam neared the city of Imladris on horseback, closely flanked by their cousin Eomer, Uncle Haldir, and adopted Uncles, Legolas and Gildor. Sam was fidgeting excitedly in his saddle with the thought of being able to study with, in his opinion, the master healer of all time. It almost hadn't happened though…

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Flashback

"The city of Imladris extends an invitation to Alice and Sam to come and study with our healers and warriors. It would be an honour to have them grace us with their presence."

"Why does Imladris get the preferential treatment? They are the offspring of an Elf maiden of Lothlorien! They should come with us to meet their family and we can teach them just as much as you Elrond!"

"Now, now Galadriel! Sam requested my services as a teacher specifically." Elrond chest puffed out with pride and honour. "It appears that he has heard of my healing abilities from his parents…"

"Alice also said that she has heard of the beauty and fighting prowess that Lothlorien has!"

"Stop it!" Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond and Thranduil looked down at Sam in surprise. They hadn't heard him come in with his sister. "Why are you fighting like this? We aren't an object you should be fighting over. We have our own thoughts too!" The four Elven leaders looked down in shame.

"Why don't we go to Imladris first? Because my little brother is in need of a talent of his own… We have both learned some fighting from our father, but Sam is a pacifist who doesn't believe in using his abilities to hurt others. He is desperate to learn how to help them instead." Alice turned to a disappointed Galadriel and Celeborn. "I know you want us to see your home, and we would love to see all of you in person; but this is something we have to do. Would it be possible to come see you after we have received some schooling in the medical art? After all, my mother always stated that you should learn to heal something before you learn how to break it!"

Galadriel and Celeborn nodded their agreement and the two elfling's turned to depart. "What is it about those two that makes me feel like the elfling, and them the Elves with thousands of years of experience?"

"I know…" Elrond nodded his head in agreement

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"You know. If you don't stop fidgeting; it's highly likely that Lily will chuck you off of her back…" Lily shook her head in agreement Eomer, which caused the company to laugh and relax a bit. They rode another league before some strange voices in a singsong voice drew them out of their revere.

"O! What are you doing,

And where are you going?

Your ponies need shoeing!

The river is flowing!

O! tra-la-la-lally

Here down in the valley!

O! What are you seeking,

And where are you making?

The faggots are reeking,

The bannocks are baking!

O! tril-lil-lil-lolly 


The valley is jolly,

ha! ha!..."

"Elladan! Elrohir! Show yourselves! We know it's you!" Sam drew himself up proudly.

"We do?" Sam looked at his sister in exasperation.

"Didn't you pay any attention to what mum told us?"

"Well I'd usually fallen asleep by that point…" Sam smacked his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Never mind… Let me handle this." The two elves in question dropped down from a high branch on a nearby tree.

"How did you know it was us? We'd only just come up with that… and you wouldn't even let us finish." Elladan pouted in a mock sulk.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you… I presume you were sent ahead by Elrond to bring us in safely?"

"Yes they were… Two days ago!" A graceful Elf maiden dropped down from the opposite side of the road.

"Oh come on Arwen! We were only having a bit of fun…" Arwen smacked Elrohir hard over the back of his head. "HEY! We're the elder ones here!!"

Alice laughed out loud. "A girl after my own heart. We need to chat sometime soon!" Arwen grinned.

"I look forward to it!"

"ARGH!! Now there are two of them!" Elrohir dropped to his knees though there was amusement flickering in his eyes. Elladan walked over to Sam and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I feel for you little elfling. Life will never seem the same again!" he wiped away an imaginary tear.

"If you are all done with the amateur dramatics…" Legolas looked at the proceedings with a cocked eyebrow.

"Yes your immense highness! We would like to welcome you to our honourable home of Imladris!" Elrohir bowed expansively in an eastward direction. Arwen hit him again. "Ok. We really need to work on your anger management!"

"Shall we get moving? Preferably BEFORE father sends out another search party!"

"Spoilsport!" Alice and Sam just laughed at the sullen looks on the twin's faces as their younger sister put them down. This was going be a fun visit!

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Alice and Sam looked at the faces lining the side of the road as they rode into Imladris. They were steadily looking more and more nervous as Elves locked them in their sights. Legolas and Gildor noticed this and rode up to flank them, as the two elfling's had been riding behind Eomer.

"I forgot. You were both unconscious when you first came into Mirkwood so you missed all of this… Elfling's are very rarely born. These Elves are only verifying with their own eyes that the rumours are true. Give them a few days and they'll be at the fawning stage that the Elves at Mirkwood were at when we left…"

"Great! Why does that not fill me with enthusiasm?" Sam looked at Legolas with a sardonic gaze but the Elf just let out a peal of laughter and kept riding. Sam looked to where Elladan and Elrohir were soaking up the praise they were receiving for bringing in the elfling's safely. Arwen was following them with an increasingly dark expression as they went along. Sam laughed, they were characters those three! Elrond was waiting at the gates of Imladris, with a thrilled look on his face.

"Welcome to Imladris. Make yourselves at home!"

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