Glorfindel stared moodily at his food, pushing it randomly around his plate. Swearing under his breath angrily at Elrond as he did so, as he had done so every day since he had arrived in this godforsaken forest.

Another breakfast with Thranduil, another hour spent desperately wondering what to say and waiting for the Eagle religion to rear its ugly head. Erestor really should have been the one to come here. He was the diplomat, he was the one with the golden tongue who knew exactly what to say to everyone…..well everyone except Maglor obviously. It was just not Glorfindel's forte. He was a warrior, he had no skills in managing grumpy, oversensitive, bad tempered, Noldor hating Kings.

To be fair Thranduil did seem to have mellowed since Legolas's miraculous recovery and the twins part in that had forced him to grudgingly accept them but still Glorfindel felt as if every word he uttered was the wrong one….and as for his own personal life, well that was a disaster. Elladan avoided him diligently. They barely spoke and had not even started to discuss the issue that hung unspoken in the air between them.

He let out a sigh.

"Food not to your liking Glorfindel?" Thranduil asked with sarcasm, ( It seemed to be his favourite mode of speech.)

"Not refined enough for your Noldor tastes?"

Glorfindel resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. Could he not even sigh now without getting in to a difficult situation?

" It is fine thank you," he replied. "Perhaps I just had too much of your delicious food for dinner last night, I find I am simply not hungry." Thranduil looked at him with suspicion.

Much to Glorfindel's relief Elladan chose that moment to strike up a conversation. Rather him than Elrohir, Glorfindel thought, who was far too chirpy for anyone's good since Legolas had been released from the healing rooms. Glorfindel was just waiting for this exuberant version of Elrohir to get himself into mischief and unfortunately Legolas was absent this morning at training, to prepare him for his return to patrols, so not available to help keep Elrohir in line.

"My Lord," Elladan spoke with unexpected confidence,

"the weather is nice today, don't you think. The sun is shining."

Thranduil looked at him as though he was an orc who had suddenly appeared in his dining room.

"It is a pleasant day I suppose." He replied eventually

The sun will make it very warm, I think" Elladan was speaking as if to a small child, as if Thranduil had an intelligence problem. What on earth was he doing? Glorfindel threw him an angry glare.

Thranduil stared at Elladan in no small degree of amazement. He turned to Glorfindel,

"Do they not have the sun in Imladris?" He asked

Glorfindel shrugged his shoulders weakly, but Elladan wasn't to be deterred.

"I just thought to mention," he said earnestly, " You might be overdressed."

Glorfindel looked at him in horror, had he lost his mind? Questioning Thranduil's dress sense?

"You what?" Thranduil too it seemed was at a loss for words.

Elladan smiled his sweetest smile, ignoring Elrohir's desperate tugging on his arm.

"You will be too warm sire. Your robe is magnificent but I think it would be better if you…..maybe found one more lightweight today."

" You think I do not know how to dress myself? You think I need a Noldor to instruct me on what to wear in the morning?" Thranduil was beginning to work himself into a state of extreme annoyance.

Glorfindel decided he had to stop this. He didn't know what Elladan was up to but it was all about to go very, very wrong.

"Elladan.." He began in a warning tone, but he was too late, Elladan was in full swing.

"I have your best interests at heart," he smiled brightly, "I think it is obvious I know better how to –"

At that Elrohir leapt to his feet, dragging Elladan up with him.

"I must apologise My Lord" he said hastily, "Elladan and I promised Legolas we would meet him at training and we are late. I would not want to keep him waiting, please excuse us." And he bowed deeply.

"Of course," Thranduil said gruffly and Elrohir began to drag Elladan behind him out of the room.

"But I haven't finished…." Elladan was not going to give up his conversation easily

"Yes you have Brother, yes you have." Glorfindel heard Elrohir mutter as they departed the room. He stared after them blankly. What had that all been about? Glorfindel threw a quick glance at Thranduil who was also gazing after the twins with a stupefied look on his face.

Eventually Thranduil leaned across the table towards him.

"Glorfindel," he said quietly, " I know the boy is a gifted healer, that was obvious when he was treating Legolas but to be honest with you, I wonder….is he all there? I mean, are you sure he is right in the head?"

"He can be highly strung." Glorfindel mumbled.

Honestly why was Elladan behaving so oddly? Thank goodness Thranduil did not seem to have taken offence.

Thranduil continued, " Poor Elrond, I wonder where he went wrong? It must be such a shame having a son who is slightly…odd, and the other one is uncontrollable, with that spider fetish," at this Thranduil gave a shudder and Glorfindel raised an eyebrow, spider fetish? What did he mean by that?

"Oh how he must worry. Such a disappointment, poor man. I do feel quite sorry for him." Personally Glorfindel didn't think Thranduil looked as if he felt sorry for Elrond at all. In fact he looked positively gleeful.

"Well now that they have left us, perhaps you could help me with something, I must confess I forgot all about it with Legolas being injured. We could deal with it now." Thranduil smiled at him, the effect was quite disarming and completely unexpected.

"Now?" Glorfindel wasn't at all sure about this. This must be the Eagles finally come back to haunt him.

"Yes indeed," Thranduil stood majestically and went to exit the room,

"Follow me, Glorfindel, Follow me."

…..

Elrohir dragged Elladan down the corridor behind him, his brother protesting all the way.

"Let me go Elrohir!"

"No!" he replied firmly, "You will just go back and make more of a fool of yourself. What did you think you were doing?"

"Having a conversation," Elladan was most indignant. " Why did you not let me finish?"

Elrohir stopped and stared at his brother.

"Are you serious? Let you continue to insult Thranduil by suggesting he can't even dress himself. Are you ill?"

"I was being direct." Elladan explained patiently, "I was gently reminding him I knew what was good for him."

Elrohir began to get a very uneasy feeling.

"Why did you think you should do that?" He asked tentatively almost afraid of the answer.

"It said it in the book!" Elladan exclaimed.

"What book?" Elrohir knew he REALLY didn't want to know.

"This one." Elladan produced a small book from his pocket and Elrohir knew, his stomach sinking, exactly what book it was.

"The one Erestor gave you."

"Where did you get that?" Elrohir knew the answer before he asked the question.

"Legolas gave it to me…no wait Elrohir, don't be angry….he asked me to give it to you, I just, I just decided to read it first."

Elrohir slowly let out his breath and relaxed his clenched teeth, perhaps he was guilty of jumping to the wrong conclusions. Legolas had been trying to return the book to him.

"Why did you pay any attention to that book, Elladan? You told me yourself it was not accurate, that I shouldn't use it."

Elladan smiled,

"Well, yes, I did think it a bit archaic….but after Legolas recommended it so strongly, well I just had to see for myself."

"Legolas recommended it?" Elrohir's voice was cold.

Elladan didn't notice and carried on enthusiastically,

"He said he wished he had read it years ago, that they should all have one. It is perfect Elrohir, he said so himself, perfect for managing his father! Glorfindel is displeased with me at the moment, he is so tense around Thranduil, I thought, if I could only just make Thranduil happy, show Glorfindel I could handle him. Well, he might forgive me….think better of me. I am sorry I kept your book. I really am."

Elrohir felt his blood begin to boil. He was beyond furious. He turned on his heels striding away from his brother.

"Elrohir, wait!" Elladan called after him, "What is wrong?"

Elrohir swallowed his rage and called back lightly, "Nothing at all, don't worry Elladan. I just need to see Legolas, a personal matter."

"I was coming with you…" Elladan replied anxiously.

"I think….I think this is best dealt with just Legolas and I. I will see you later Elladan, just don't …don't give Thranduil any more advice on his clothing."

And Elrohir took off, running as fast as he could towards the Training grounds. He spotted Legolas even before he arrived, his pale gold hair drew the eyes towards him. Elrohir didn't stop and wait to be invited over to see him, He just marched right in to the group of warriors Legolas was with.

"Legolas, can I speak with you?" His voice was abrupt and cutting but Legolas at first didn't notice.

"You made it!" He grinned happily at Elrohir, eyes lit up with joy.

"We need some privacy." Was Elrohir's terse reply.

Legolas frowned. "Of course." He drew Elrohir away from the cluster of men.

He tilted his head at Elrohir in confusion.

"Is there a problem?"

"Breakfast was interesting." Elrohir began, no amusement at all in his tone. "Elladan attempted to tell your Father he knew better than him which robe he should be wearing. He suggested Thranduil was not capable of dressing himself."

Legolas's eyes danced with amusement, his face split by a wide happy smile.

"He did? Oh I wish I could have seen it! I knew he couldn't resist reading that book."

"You admit it then?" Elrohir was horrified.

"YOU did this?"

"Of course I did it," Legolas finally caught up,with the fact Elrohir was less than pleased. "He asked for it. You can not expect….after what he did to me I would do nothing?"

Elrohir's long suppressed fury boiled over.

"I DO EXPECT IT!" He shouted enraged. "I told you, I TOLD you in Imladris. Do not involve Elladan in your tricks. Do not! He is my brother. I will deal with him, You will not hurt him!"

"It was harmless Elrohir," Legolas was taken aback, " After what he did to me…..to us…..he nearly destroyed us. He hurt me. He hurt ME! Does that count for nothing?"

"I said I will deal with him. It is not for you-"

"I waited…." Legolas was also getting hot under the collar. " I waited for you to deal with it, you did nothing, you seem not to care. Is this how it will always be? Elladan comes before me?"

"He is my brother." Elrohir was not backing down. Nothing made him angrier than someone hurting his brother, nothing. No matter who they were.

"You will leave him alone. Leave him alone no matter what he does!"

Legolas's face fell " It was a harmless prank, not worthy of you being so upset. Do you still not understand how much he hurt me? Do you not care we may have not recovered from that…..I thought….Did you not even care about the damage he did to us?"

Elrohir's weak point had always been his temper and his temper when it came to Elladan was at its most uncontrollable. He did not stop to think on Legolas's words. He did not stop to think at all, just let his anger carry him away.

" I care about my Brother!" He cried as he strode away furiously. "And you…..I do not care for you at all!"

It was only later, when he had calmed down somewhat, sitting in his room on his own. He realised exactly what it was he had said.

It was then the regret hit him. It was then he wondered if perhaps Legolas had been right, it was not worth him being so upset.

Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut?