Well, I said that one way or another I would have an update this weekend, and while it's technically Monday now, it's not bedtime yet, so I would say that this counts. Sorry, I meant to have it out sooner, but I decided to re-write this in the effort of wasting less time story-wise. Just a nice little happy chapter, but hey, it has the twins, so it should be at least amusing! Don't worry, the angst will be returning soon, as will the action. ;)

Chapter Twenty-One: In Imladris They Dwell

Glorfindel shrugged. "I am sorry, Elrond, I have no more knowledge of this than you. He was not wed when last I saw him, but that was a thousand years ago, after all. I know not what could have happened to his queen to so distress the child."

"We know little of what has happened in Greenwood the Great in recent years overall," Erestor pointed out sharply. "Little news has come from Lórien and less from Greenwood itself."

"Even to Lórien has come little word," Celebrían added softly. "The Elves of Greenwood suffered grievous losses and withdrew to mourn them."

"Yet that was so long ago," Gildor pointed out. "Surely they have grown less reclusive"

Glorfindel, his face strangely serious, caught his kinsman's eye with a strange and powerful gaze. "Have you felt loss of such weight," he asked quietly, "that you would know how long the sadness should last 'ere it lessens with time"

"I…no," the other Elf replied faintly. "No I…I know not." He shifted a bit under the twice-born Elf's intense stare and looked away.

There was silence for a moment, then Celebrían spoke again. "I believe that they have rather grown more isolated with time," she said, bringing the subject discreetly back to topic and away from discomfort of confrontation and memory.

Elrond shook his head, frustrated with the lack of explanation or answers. "They were always a markedly separate people," he said more to himself than the other Elves seated in his study as he paced back and forth between them. "They did not meddle in other affairs, and none bothered them in turn. Yet after the War of the Alliance they cut themselves off from all contact, withdrawing into their trees. And we paid them no mind, for to us it seemed little different than their previous seclusion, and all were then bowed with grief and loss."

"My lord," Glorfindel said as diplomatically as he could, "while 'tis good no doubt to examine the reason for our lack of news, it does little to affect the fact that we know naught of which we need to."

Erestor sniffed disdainfully. "Without knowing the background of a situation, one cannot have a true understanding of it," he replied to the Gondolin Elf. "Occasionally thought can come in handy."

Glorfindel glanced at the advisor. "Examining the past is all well and good, but dwelling on the why of something does nothing to change it. Our—" he grinned at Erestor "—at least some of our—thoughts could be better turned to the problem at hand."

"A flawed understanding leads to flawed conclusions," the councilor stated firmly.

"Yet is not a flawed conclusion better than none at all?"

Celebrían interrupted discreetly. "Whatever we muse upon, the end result is the same. All the thinking and pondering in Arda will not suddenly bless us with insight into Thranduil's queen. We know only that the thought of his mother distresses young Legolas, and Fuiniel as well."

"Although her distress is more like anger," Elrond muttered. His wife grinned at him before continuing.

"If the girl could be drawn out of her shield, we could learn of it from her, but I would not wish to ask Legolas and bring him more sorrow." Celebrían's grey eyes were stricken at the thought of one so young being bearer of such pain and Elrond laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Should not the information come from the one who would know more?" Erestor asked skeptically.

Glorfindel glared at the advisor. "You would make an elfling cry simply to assuage your curiosity?"

Erestor bristled. "Nay," he retorted sharply, "I would see the child aided in whatever way we can do so, but if we know not what ails him we cannot do so."

"Friends, peace," Elrond interjected quickly. He was treated to two nearly-identical glares for daring to interrupt their argument and the peredhel sighed. "By the Valar, you two are as much trouble as the twins" he muttered.

A hush fell over the group and they listened for sounds of a disturbance. "Meleth," Celebrían asked in a voice of extreme calmness, "where are the boys?"

………………

"What if they are sleeping?"

"We shall leave and come back."

"What if they are not sleeping?"

"We shall speak to them. That is what we came to do, after all."

"Yes, but…what if they do not want to speak to us?"

"Elladan, my brother, please! It is us! How could they not wish to speak to us?"

"Ah, thank you, my brother, I had forgotten."

"Honestly, Elladan, I do not know how you get along without me."

"That is easy, Elrohir—I do not."

"That is right, I had forgotten."

"And what would you do without me?"

"Mm. Much the same, I imagine."

"Shh! Let us see…"

Elladan carefully eased the door open and peered in. Elrohir craned his neck to see over his brother's head and they stared into the dim room. Then they exchanged identically mischievous grins and slipped through the thin crack. They closed the door soundlessly behind them and dropped to the floor. Moving soundlessly on hands and knees they crawled over to the bed. The boys winked at one another, then, in perfect unison, sprang up and propped themselves on the edge of the mattress. They grinned at the two surprised elflings who spun to face them.

"Hello."

"Welcome to Imladris."

"I am Elladan. This is my brother—"

"Elrohir. At your service."

"We have only just returned home."

"We wanted to welcome you in person."

"We have heard much of you."

"You must be Fuiniel."

"And you would be Legolas."

"We heard that you yelled at our father."

"Is that true?"

Fuiniel glared darkly at the young Elves. "Ay," she replied curtly. "'Twas deserved, I assure you."

"Nay, you misunderstand."

"Ay, we are not upset with you"

"We wanted to congratulate you."

"Well done." Elrohir shook the surprised child's hand, then Elladan did the same after his brother relinquished it.

"Yes, our father can be quite daunting when he wants to be."

"But you rather turned the tables on him, it sounds."

"So you will understand that we are both quite impressed with you."

Fuiniel stared at the two Elves. "Oh," she said quietly. They grinned at her. "I…thank you," she murmured quietly, caught off guard.

"So tell us all about Greenwood."

"We have never been there."

"Are there are many trees as they say?"

"And is King Thranduil as—ow!" The twin turned to glare at his brother and rubbed the spot on his chest where the other had elbowed him.

"Elladan, Legolas is Thranduil's son," Elrohir hissed scoldingly.

"I was going to say, as skilled at battle as the stories say."

"Oh. Carry on then."

"Thank you. Ahem." The twins turned back to the elflings, who were staring at them, unable to manage a sentence in between their fast words even had they known which question to start with. They returned to their questioning as if the interruption had never taken place. "And is King Thranduil as skilled at battle as the stories say?"

"Did you truly travel all the way here on your own?"

"Oh, the orcs! Tell us of the orcs!"

"Yes, they say you fought them."

"We have not encountered any yet."

"We have looked, with the Rangers—the Dúnedain—but have not had the chance to clash with them."

"Tell us, do they look as horrid as it is said?"

"How did they fight, the ones you met?"

"Were they any good?"

"What sort of orcs were they, where were they from?"

"How did you get away?"

"Please, tell us something"

Fuiniel and Legolas exchanged bewildered looks. "How can we tell you anything when you do not cease to ask questions?" the boy asked at last.

The twins looked at each other, then burst into laughter. "Elladan, we did it again."

"I would say that we have, Elrohir."

"I apologize. Sometimes when we speak—"

"—we tend to forget that we need to pause."

"We talk too fast—"

"—because we are so used to talking to each other—"

"—and we usually already know what the other is about to say—"

"—and so we speak quickly."

"We apologize."

"Now…if we promise to allow you time to answer…"

"Will you tell us of the orcs?" Elladan and Elrohir smiled eagerly, eyes sparking with anticipation.

Legolas and Fuiniel looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well," said the prince, "what would you like to know?"

The twins' smiles widened, taking on the expression that warned the inhabitants of Imladris to flee 'ere trouble started. Legolas and Fuiniel were unfamiliar with that particular look in their eyes—but they could guess.

Legolas grinned and Fuiniel's lips twitched in spite of herself. They had a feeling that these two young Elves were a bit different than what they would have expected from the sons of the calm and collected Lord Elrond.

………………

Glorfindel peered into the study where Elrond and Erestor were pouring over scrolls or maps or some sort of important paper that he did his best to avoid and ignore. The two lore-masters looked up when the door was yanked open and the golden-haired Elf's head shot in.

"News, my lord," he said with a face that was attempting to stay serious although his eyes sparkled and his lips refused to stay straight. "The twins have encountered our lost little elflings." The Balrog-slayer grinned as Elrond and Erestor blanched. He laughed and vanished, leaving the Lord of Imladris and his chief advisor alone.

"My lord," Erestor said carefully, "I have on occasion been called an alarmist, yet I feel that I will not be exaggerating if I say that I feel we are all quite doomed."

"I would have to agree with you, my friend," Elrond said with a sigh.

………………

"Elrohir, I have a plan," Elladan said suddenly.

Elrohir rolled over to look at his brother. "I was sleeping," he complained.

Elladan snorted and glanced at the mussed figure in the other bed. "You were not, do not try to fool me brother, I know you too well." Elrohir smiled sheepishly and tucked his hair out of his eyes. "Now do not change the subject. I said I have a plan."

"Then please, my brother, what is this plan of yours?"

"Do you not think that those two need cheering up?"

"Legolas and Fuiniel?"

Elladan nodded earnestly.

"Ay," said Elrohir. "They are both too serious for their own good, but especially Fuiniel."

"They have seen much sorrow and hardship."

"You are right, my brother."

"As always."

"Well, except when you disagree with me. Then you are wrong."

"No, my brother, you have us confused again. That is when you are wrong."

"I do not think that it is I who am confused."

"Well, it seems that we are not in agreement…which would mean that you are wrong."

"It would mean that one of us is wrong," Elrohir said with a smirk.

"Good, I am glad that you see things my way," Elladan said calmly. Elrohir rolled his eyes but allowed his brother to remain in his state of confusion.

"Whatever delusions you wish to operate under," he muttered. Elladan chose to pretend that he had not heard him.

"As I was saying, they both need to be cheered up."

"They are quite sorrowful little creatures."

"They are far too young to be so mournful."

"And I assume that you have a plan to correct this"

"Indeed I do, my brother," he grinned. "Indeed I do."

"Excellent," said Elrohir, mirroring his brother's broad smile. Grey eyes glinted mischievously at each other in the moonlight as the twins plotted.

………………

"Wake up," one of the twins beamed happily as Legolas blinked groggily up at the tall Elf.

"Elladan?" the elfling asked sleepily.

"Elrohir," he corrected absently. "Come, get up and dress. Elladan is waking Fuiniel and fetching breakfast. We will eat on the way."

"On the way to what?" Legolas asked as he slid out of the bed.

Elrohir grinned. "That's a secret. Hurry and dress"

"But…Lord Elrond does not want us out and about yet," the child protested slowly.

Elrohir smirked and rolled his eyes. "Ada always tries to coddle people. Worry not, trust me! Elladan and I have been disobeying his orders for centuries and we are none the worse for wear." The twin tossed Legolas's boots at him. "Come!" He vanished out the door.

Legolas hesitated a moment, then shrugged and started dressing. He was feeling much better, after all…

………………

The twins had an elaborate series of steps to sneak out of the building undetected. They worked as a team, with one scouting ahead and signaling the other when the coast was clear. Their path was convoluted and wound through little used hallways, occasionally cutting through windows and jumping adjoining balconies. But it seemed much practiced and certainly it proved to work well, for within a short time the four young Elves were outside in the wintry gardens of Imladris.

Elrohir waited with the elflings while Elladan crept forward in the bushes. Finding no one about, he quickly waved to the others and they slipped into the trees. The woods were thin and bare to the two children, used to Greenwood's thick boughs and ancient trees, but still it felt like home to the Wood Elves. They followed the twins, skirting past fountains and courtyards, until at last them came to a secluded grove.

Elladan and Elrohir sprawled familiarly on the soft ground and grinned at their companions. Legolas and Fuiniel examined the small clearing, Legolas with the awed eyes of innocent wonderment at natural beauty; Fuiniel checking the trees and brush with the eye of a practiced hunter. Then they joined the twins on the ground.

They spent a few moments just relaxing after their tense escape, enjoying the beautiful day. There was a light coating of snow on the ground and the sparse trees, and it looked like a soft white blanket on the thick bushes, but the sun was shining cheerily and they, being Elven, were not bothered by the cold. Elrond would likely have turned purple at the thought of the two little ones sitting in the snow only four days after he had saved them dying of cold and exposure, but they had recovered quickly and felt no discomfort. Were he to learn of this escapade, however, the twins could count on a lecture that would make even Glorfindel cringe and Erestor feel pity for them.

"Are the trees of Greenwood much larger than these?" Elrohir asked after a time.

Legolas nodded. "They are giants compared to these," he answered earnestly. "At least twice as tall as the largest one here, and many times broader."

"These woods are young," Elladan said. "I can remember when some of the trees were but saplings."

"Every tree in Greenwood is older than me, I think," said Legolas.

Elrohir grinned. "I think almost every tree in Imladris is too, little prince."

Legolas stuck out his tongue at the older Elf. "I am not that young," he answered haughtily.

Elladan's smile was ready to split his face. "Oh no," he agreed, not even attempting to be serious, "I would guess that you are at least twelve."

Legolas scowled, then grinned and, before the Imladris Elf could duck, scooped a handful of snow and lobbed it at him. The snowball his Elladan right in the middle of his forehead. Elrohir howled and rolled in the snow as his brother gaped at the grinning child.

"That was fast!" Elladan gasped, wiping snow from his face.

Legolas giggled. "I have been training as an archer," he confessed.

Elladan's eyes narrowed. "Is that so," he asked dangerously. "And have they been teaching you how to dodge?" he asked casually as he fired back with a glob of snow.

Legolas shrieked and ducked, managing to avoid most of the projectile. He grinned, then dove out of the way of a second shot. It missed the little prince and hit Fuiniel's shoulder. She hesitated, but Elladan's sheepish grin of apology was just so smug that she did not hesitate for long—just long enough for the Elf to fire another one right at her. Fuiniel shook snow from her eyes and smiled grimly. Elladan's eyes went wide and he dove behind his brother as the girl scooped up some snow. Elrohir laughed and stepped aside.

"Traitor," Elladan muttered before he was pelted. Elrohir sank back into the snow and laughed even harder at his white-coated twin. Elladan scrambled to the side, pausing next to Legolas. He grinned at the elfling.

"What say we forgive the fact that I aimed at you and ally ourselves against them?" he whispered slyly.

Legolas grinned. "Ay," he replied. "Let us indeed."

Elrohir's laughter was abruptly and coldly silenced as a snowball hit him on the back of the head. He spun and glared to see Legolas and Elladan smiling back innocently. Elrohir's lips twitched and he glanced at Fuiniel.

"Well," he asked her with a wry grin. "Are we to be outnumbered, or shall we join forces?"

Fuiniel hesitated uncertainly, then smiled back. "Very well. And since we are now allies, perhaps you ought to duck?"

Elrohir threw himself into the snow as two white projectiles whizzed narrowly overhead. "Oh, this means war," he said darkly as he rose and brushed futilely at the white coating that had adhered itself to his tunic.

Soon globs of snow were flying back and forth across the small clearing. One of them went far out of range and narrowly missed the nose of a certain Balrog-slayer whose talents at subterfuge had enabled him to surreptitiously trail the twins and the escaped patients. He grinned and brushed at the few flakes that had landed in his face.

He supposed that he really ought to go stop them and send the children back inside, or at least tell Elrond and let the healer handle it, but Glorfindel could not bring himself to stop the battle. They were having fun—even laughing—and while it might well mean a lecture stern enough to strip the skin from his bones later, should Elrond learn what had happened, Glorfindel knew that it had to have been a long time since those little ones had laughed.

He had no intention of causing it to cease.

Reviewer Responses:

Deana – feel better now that I've made him a little bit happier, at least for now:)

MCross – Don't worry, the angst will be back! Just needed a fluffy chapter to get some character development with everyone's favorite troublemaker-twins!

Laiquendi – Yep, talking to Fuiniel is like juggling thermal detonators—another prize to whoever gets that reference:) As for Thranduil…weeeell…no! lol Nope, I'm afraid our king isn't back yet. Not too much longer…

Alma – thank you, and yes, pacing seems to be the biggest problem, but thanks again! You too.

East Coastie – will it help if I say we're just a few chapters away from some more swords? And how about if I promise there'll be lots of sword-swinging before we're done? ;) And just so you know, this update definitely counts as on time! It's just an hour and a half past "official" end of the week-end, and I blame my lightbulb burning out and slowing down my still life while I searched for a replacement (eventually settled for a flashlight) for that. :)

Aranna – well, I hope you enjoyed the twins! snort, Elrond a wimp, hee hee! So, now that we've managed to control you action-addict with the troubles with twins…lol Ew, what are you doing at school until 5:30? Ickiness. I hope it's something at least marginally fun, like a play or something like that. Sorry the update was so late! But I hope you like it.

Zammy – lol indeed, I hate those kinds of typos. You see it right after you click post, right? And then there's nothing you can do anymore. C'est la vie indeed!

SadieElfgirl – Forgiven, never fear! Yes, poor distrustful little Fuiniel. I'm glad you like my Glorfindel, he amuses me, too. Quite a bit. I think he sent a Nuzgûl to nibble my ankle, but so far Glerfindle is fighting off Glorfindel and…wow, that's in interesting mental image. Glorfindel versus his mini-Balrog. Wow. Um, anyway, yes, Erestor really appreciates Glorfindel's strange sense of humor. Heh heh heh. Erestor, put the knife down, or I'll tie you up and make you listen while Glorfindel tells as many stories as he wants to! Good advisor… Yes, lots more twins! Hope you like them so far. Until next time!

kel – heh, glad you're amused. ;)

And that's all for now, folks. Bedtime for me, storytime for you. Well, I guess storytime is over now, because this at the end of the update, but anyway…yeah. Sorry I didn't quite get it out in time. This chapter decided to be annoying. I'll be back soon, never fear—we're getting into the bits that I have planned out in more detail. This little Rivendell section got shuffled up quite a bit from its original envisioning, so that made for some great staring-at-the-screen sessions, but we'll be better for awhile! As always, thanks for the lovely reviews, I'm quite grateful for them! Farewell for now!

Apparently FFnet hates me, because again it ate almost all of my punctuation. Anything next to a " that wasn't a period, pretty much. So if anything looks funky-that's why. I think I caught it all, but if you see something strange, please point it out so I can curse creatively and fix it. Thanks as ever:D