Oh, and here's the next chapter, btw! Sorry it's so late! :O (Tell the readers I said that, too, could you? :)

CHAPTER 21

Celeborn, left alone with his grandsons, heaved an annoyed sigh. Shortly after Elithraniel had decided to bring Elrohir into their debate over her relationship, an uninformed Elladan had chosen to make his appearance. Celeborn really did love his grandsons, but now was not exactly the most favourable time for their boisterous adolescent antics.

It was not difficult to tell that the peredhil had only recently found their way out of bed- regardless of whether or not said item of furniture had brought them any rest, or how long they had been about since their arising. Their bloodshot eyes revealed an impressive lack of sleep, and Celeborn was relieved to see that their clear tiredness would provide a glowing excuse to soon dismiss them back to their bedrooms, and then take some rest himself. It had been a long and trying day.

Obligated, he found himself taking a step towards the young elves, his right hand extended to be shaken in turns. Elladan had just arrived, and, after all, Elithraniel's using him had hardly given Elrohir the opportunity for a proper greeting.

"Mae govannen, Ata'da," said Elrohir.

To Celeborn's ears, the salutation was very- well, stiff. When last he had seen his grandsons, they had been little older- and not a bit more mature- than toddlers, rambunctious, outgoing, and never seeming to meet a stranger. They had driven him positively mad, and his infuriated yells to them for silence did not seem to have been kindly remembered. Even Elladan, who had not heard the news about Elithraniel, seemed put off by him.

"Mae govannen," muttered Elrohir, taking Celeborn's hand, as his twin had done, without even meeting his grandfather's eyes. Well met? He did not mean a word of it.

Celeborn quickly dropped his hand, looking back and forth between the twins somewhat unconfortably. But, having no intentions of bringing up his elder daughter's love life, he said, "So what have you boys been up to lately? Besides growing, that is." He tried his best to smile teasingly.

"Ha," said Elladan, nudging his brother, who was still staring at the ground.

Elrohir's reaction was slightly delayed; an awkward moment of silence passed before Elladan's signal registered with him. "Oh," he said slowly, "ha."

Continuing, to answer Celeborn's question, apparently, Elladan spoke up. "Not very much, Ata'da- just archery and our studies."

"But those are noble pursuits, nonetheless," said Celeborn, in hopes of sounding approving.

"Thank you," replied Elladan, adding politely, "And how was your journey to Imladris?"

"Uneventful," responded Celeborn, "but still quite tiring. It's time that I am off to bed, and it looks as though the two of you should be as well. I hope our arrival did not wake you."

"It didn't," said Elrohir, glancing for the first time up at his grandfather before hastily turning to enter the house once more. "Good night, Ata'da," chorused the twins lackadaisically.

Celeborn bid his grandsons the same and headed for an alternate door- this leading directly into his and Galadriel's quarters- as soon as they had disappeared into the shadows of the corridor. Without even bothering to begin unpacking, he found nightclothes among the luggage scattered across the wooden floor, and donned them. He then slipped immediately into bed, snuffing out a pair of candles burning on the nightstand as the chamber's only source of light.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring? he thought, and drifted thence into the realm of Irmo, undisturbed until dawn.

TBC...