Chapter Twenty-One
The Green Elf

Out of the twins it was Elrohir who had inherited their father's penchant for pessimism, but as of recently that role had been reversed and Elladan had been spending more and more time sulking and sighing. Elrohir was worried for his twin, yet also slightly bemused as whenever a certain wood elf reared her head the sulky twin in question's mood would strangely lighten and it would appear for that brief few moments that Elladan had returned to his more optimistic self.

Elrohir sighed under his breath and clapped his horses neck. They were traveling at a slow pace, partially because Raina was eager to soak in the view and partially because Elladan seemed to be soaking in a rather different view. The bruinen was beautiful to look at, the gentle water would glimmer whenever it was touched by light. Raina was rightfully amazed by it.

"We shouldn't tarry Raina." Elrohir grasped the half-elf's attention and she stared back at the more calm twin with a small smile on the corners of her lips. She nodded without a words, pulling on the reigns of her horse. It broke of into a trot - a trot Elladan seemed eager to keep pace with. Before long the three had travelled a great distance and their horses had grown more than a little tired.

Elladan drew to an abrupt halt. "Here is a good place to camp for the night. There is wood near for the fire and ample shade." He explained tying his horse to a tree. Raina nodded and with Elladan's aid dismounted her horse. Elrohir couldn't help but think that Raina hadn't needed any help down from the horse, and that Elladan was just searching for an excuse to be near her. The younger twin chuckled to himself quietly at the thought of his usually head-strong brother being so ensnared by a young elf - or half elf for that matter.

"Do you have anymore blankets?" Raina searched her pack. Tipping brushes and tweezers and hair bands onto the forest floor. Elrohir couldn't help but note how Raina had packed hair-brushes and hair bands yet had forgotten such a bare necessity that was a blanket. She was inexperienced, that much was clear to Elrohir.

"Here I have one." Elladan pulled his one and only blanket out of his bag and Elrohir rolled his eyes. His brother was whipped well and truly. "You should get some sleep Rai. You look exhausted."

"I'll try. Thanks for the blanket 'Dan." Raina grinned she vanished of into the woods mumbling something about visiting the little girl's room, which consisted of a shrub and a few trees for shade.

"Please tell me that you have another blanket Elladan." Elrohir jested, a wide smirk upon his face. Elladan shrugged his shoulders and continued trying and failing to light the tiny little fire. "She has you wrapped around her little finger. I swear, if she asked you to walk into Mordor unarmed you would. I can't imagine Legolas would approve of all the lingering hugs and the way you've been looking at her for the past few days."

"Legolas wouldn't approve of anyone with Raina. But that's irrelevent. Nothing is going on between us Elrohir." Elladan explained coolly.

"You wouldn't tell me even if there was." Elrohir summed up.

"No I wouldn't." Elladan laughed. With one final attempt the fire finally begun to flicker. Elladan warmed his hands over the flame, the tiny embers of burnt wood charring the underside of his hand. "What did it feel like Elrohir? When did you know that Lostariel was yours?"

Elrohir thought of his wife, Glorfindel's daughter, she had her father's arrogance and pride but thankfully for Elrohir had inherited her mother's patience. "I knew the minute I looked upon her face that night at the ball. She was fluttering around the hall like a butterfly with all the grace of a white swan. When I looked upon her face, I realised she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. That's when I knew and I've known ever since."

"How did I know you'd come out with something so romantic." Elladan laughed into himself dismissing his brother's love of romanticism. "Bet you don't think she's so beautiful when she's screaming down the halls at you, threatening to send Glorfindel in Balrog mode after you because you left your socks on the floor."

Elrohir sighed with a loving smile stil upon his lips. "If you want to win a girl's heart Elladan, and I mean properly win it." Elrohir began. "You need to learn how to be romantic. I'm pretty sure sword fights and dead orcs aren't Raina's idea of a good date and seen as those are the only thing your accustomed to you're going to be in for a bit of bother."

Elladan mumbled something indistinguishable under his breath. Raina emerged from the trees and hurried over to the fire, moaning about how difficult it was to pee in the middle of a dense forest. Elladan laughed heartily as she jested and the pair exchanged stories. Elrohir felt rather left out. Moonlight shone down from the sky, and for a tiny moment Elrohir saw what his brother seen in Raina.

Obviously to Elrohir, Raina held no comparison to Lostariel. Her skin wasn't flawless tiny red blemishes flared up upon her cheeks whenever the air was cold enough to bite, yet she was beautiful still. Her face was asymmetrical, her right eye a fraction lower than her left. Her teeth were narrow yet oddly squint and when she smiled a tiny gap was clearly visible between her front teeth. But all these imperfections simply made her Raina and Elrohir could see for a moment through his brother's eyes. Elladan stared hard at Raina and she seemed to notice his lingering stare. Elrohir chuckled, wondering when the pair would finally give into their urges and admit to eachother their true feelings.

The three had finally met up with the rangers of the north after a good few weeks on the road. Elrohir had felt like a third wheel for the entire time and was glad of some fresh company. Raina seemed to have taking a liking to Halbarad, they spent hours laughing and joking. Elladan didn't seem too happy about their blossoming friendship - in fact Elrohir would have went as far as to say that his dearest twin was exceptionally jealous.

"Elladan try smiling. You generally look better when those thick eyebrows of yours aren't forming a distinct V upon your forehead." Elrohir jested hitting his brother's shoulder with a skewer, which just two moments ago had been the home to a succulent block of meat. "She's only speaking to him. It's not like their kissing."

"Not yet." Elladan murmured. "Look at him. He's looking at her like she's something to be consumed - like she's an object."

"Just a year a go I recall you telling me that you felt Halbarad to be fine example of a young man." Elrohir chuckled.

"Not when he's slavering all over a young woman." Elladan rolled his shoulders, his eyebrows so furrowed they just about met together to form a line. Elrohir was even more amused by the situation. He ran a cool hand through his hair and slouched back onto the log. "It's disgusting. He's a grown man."

"I know how dare he speak to Raina!" Elrohir laughed in sarcasm "How dare he sit so near to Elladan's sweet precious girl! My! He touched her shoulder whatever shall we do?"

"Oh shut it Elrohir." Elladan snapped. "I've met dead orcs with a better sense of humour than you."

"That was so brave Halbarad!" Raina exclaimed. Her high tone clearly audible even from afar. She was leant into Halbarad's side, a wide smile upon her face. "So you really saved the entire village all by yourself. That is quite remarkable."

"There was only twenty orcs - not too many." Halbarad smiled.

"Oh don't be modest 'Hal." Raina slammed against his shoulder. Every time she as much as brushed against his shoulder Elladan would leave his seat for a little while, as if prepared to rush over and drag her away. After a further ten minutes of flattery and what Elladan perceived as flirting, the green elf decided he would listen to no more. The minute Halbarad left her side, Elladan flew over and took his seat. Raina smiled at him.

"I never told you about that time when I took on three cave trolls with my bare-hands. Did I?"

"Yes three times 'Dan." Raina laughed. She leant her head into his shoulder taking deep breaths. Elladan savored her scent. She smelt like apples soaked in sweet caramel. Her hair smelt like strawberries, he had a half a mind to give it a good sniff but he imagined he would have looked quite strange.

"You and Halbarad seemed to be having a lot of fun." Elladan commented.

"Yes we were." Raina reached out and sorted the hem of Elladan's tunic. Her hands made their way up his chest and around his neck. Her slim fingers carefully fixed the collar of his shirt. "Over two-thousand years old and you still struggle to dress yourself properly. Sometimes I worry for you."

"Not as much as I worry for you." The words slipped of Elladan's tongue before he could prevent them. Raina blushed and started laughing, she was still busying herself with sorting Elladan's armor, which in her mind had been fastened all wrong. "Oh look Halbarad is searching for you." Elladan stared coldly at his supposed friend.

"Elladan are you jealous?" Raina questioned. Her tone suggested she did not want to believe the words she was saying. Elladan blushed, he made some attempt to deny it but it was futile. Raina was laughing her head of. "Well you needn't be. Halbarad and I were merely exchanging stories. He is nice to talk to and I can see us becoming fine friends but nothing more. Don't be silly Elladan. Does Halbarad look like my sort? I imagine his beard would be rather prickly if we were to kiss."

"I think he's got a little bit more than friendship on his mind Raina. All men are the same, they just want one thing." Elladan began ranting and ranting. Raina smiled all the while. Mid-sentence the half-elf was abruptly silenced when Raina's lips landed firmly upon his own. They kissed for a tiny brief moment before Raina pulled away leaving Elladan in a state of mild shock. "What was that for?"

"To shut you up." Raina laughed and wandered of searching the crowd for Halbarad whom had left to find her a drink. Elladan's jealous was finally settled, for that moment at least.

"So much for taking it slow huh!" Elrohir chided in his brother's ear.