Title: Acquaintance
Fandom: JRR Tolkien - The Sons of Elrond (written for the fanfic100 challenge on LJ)
Characters: Legolas, Elladan & Elrohir, Elrond, Celebrían
Prompt: 028. Children
Disclaimer: The characters belong to the wizard of storytelling himself, JRR Tolkien and/or his estate. No offence is intended or profit made in my use of them.
Summary: One first leads to a host of other firsts for a certain prince of Greenwood.
Author's Notes: I wrote this for a round robin challenge wherein Legolas was to meet the young sons of Elrond for the first time. I was asked to start it off and this was the chapter I submitted. Even then I found myself wanting to complete this story. So I did and experimented with my writing by using the fanfic100 challenge prompts to inspire each chapter. It's a new way of writing a story for me. I hope it pleases.

Lairë T.A. 167
As soon as they crossed the Ford of the Bruinen, Legolas felt it. The power that protected the valley beyond. If he'd had any doubts as to whether they had followed the right trail, those doubts were now quelled.

"Is it much further?" he asked the Wood-elven captain whose warriors formed his escort.

"Nay, sire," the other Elf replied. "We shall reach Lord Elrond's halls ere sunset."

Legolas nodded and urged his steed forward. He was eager to reach the heart of fabled Imladris. The last Noldorin stronghold in all Middle-earth and home of the legendary Peredhil whose present patriarch had served as herald to the last High-king of the Eldar in these Hither Lands.

He had heard much about Elrond Half-elven from his father and not always in the most flattering of terms. But that was not unexpected given the circumstances in the war against accursed Mordor that had cost the Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great their king and a goodly number of their folk. It was his fortune that his grandsire and father had refused to risk their one and only heir in the battles in the south. Thus was he left regent of the woodland realm during the seven years siege of Mordor and most likely spared his grandfather's fate. Still, Thranduil Oropherion had not gone so far as to completely cut ties with the other elven realms, mindful as he was of the need to buttress his people's security with succor from their Eldarin brethren.

It was for this reason that Legolas now journeyed to Imladris. To pass the summer in the vale learning the mores of a folk unlike his own in so many ways. After all, the crown prince of the elven realm of northern Greenwood could not remain ignorant of what lay beyond the bounds of his forest home.

The sound of singing alerted him to the nearness of their destination. He looked about with interest as he espied the first buildings in the outlying districts of the valley realm. Here and there, dark-haired Elves peered curiously at the woodland party from windows and doors or from behind trees and tall brush. Before he could comment on the startling darkness of these strange Elves, he saw that they had come to a great arched gate that welcomed them into a spacious stone-paved courtyard. In the background was a sprawling, many-storied building that belied its best-known name. For this was no house in Legolas' opinion but a domicile befitting a great lord of Elves. He eyed the gathered Elves who awaited his party with much interest.

He swiftly separated Elrond from the rest though he had never laid eyes on him before. There was no mistaking that here was one in whose veins both elven and mortal blood flowed. It showed in his tall and slender yet patently solid frame, in his meatier limbs, lean though they were, and in his slightly mannish countenance that was unlike that of any pureblooded Elf.

Hardly had he adjusted to the uniqueness of the Half-elven lord when his interest was drawn elsewhere. At Elrond's side stood an Elf-woman of surpassing loveliness. Silver-haired Celebrían – his lady-wife, Legolas presumed. But it was the two young Elves at her side who most piqued his curiosity. Two young Elves of such astonishing similarity to each other that one would be forgiven for thinking one had begun to see double. Legolas blinked once, twice, in order to ascertain that he had indeed just gotten his first glimpse of a rarity. Elven twins.

In the time it took for his steed to cross the courtyard, the archer swiftly appraised the two who stood quietly by their parents. He did not know for certain whether the Peredhil's physical growth was anything like that of Edhil but, if it was, then Elrond's sons were no more than twenty-eight years of age, that point between innocent childhood and unruly puberty.

They were tall for their age and already beginning to lose the roundness of face and form associated with children. And they were fair to behold, these sons of Elrond. Comely as the elusive twilight yet robust with a primal vigor that did not owe its origins to the Elves. He could see in them the ethereal beauty of their exquisite mother and the earthy allure of their handsome father. It was a striking combination and a potent one. Legolas could imagine what they would look like when they were full grown. Elves from all over Middle-earth would strive to gain one or the other's favor, he concluded. He wondered if they were as blessed with their sire's gifts of foresight and deep perceptiveness as well.

His perusal of the twins was interrupted when he dismounted and presented himself to Elrond and his lady. But when he was introduced to the brethren, his fascination heightened further. For the twins seemed as different in personality as they were alike in appearance.

Elladan regarded him with the polite amiability and guarded curiosity of a diplomat. But Elrohir stared at him with near unnerving frankness, his grey eyes as appraising of him as his own veiled observation of the twins had been earlier. And while he smiled with his brother's courteous civility, there was none of the practiced reserve of the older twin.

It occurred to Legolas that even now the brethren were already cognizant of their designated roles in their valley realm. Elladan was the heir apparent, the twin who might one day rule Imladris. Hence his somewhat detached demeanor. But Elrohir would be his chief counsellor no doubt and likely commander of Rivendell's forces as well. He would be his brother's shield and if that meant drawing attention and therefore the potential for harm to himself, then so be it. Thus his more open manner.

But that still did not explain his intuitive affinity with the younger twin. If one were to consider it, he had more in common with the older twin who like himself was his father's heir and therefore should feel more of a bond with Elladan. Yet this was not the case. It was Elrohir who snared his interest. And from the young Elf-knight's intense regard, the same could be said of him.

"You should not stare at Legolas so, Elrohir," Elladan mildly admonished his brother with a slight nudge to his side. "'Tis impolite."

"I am only returning the favor," Elrohir calmly retorted. "Or did you not notice how he studied us ere we were introduced?"

"Gwenyn!"—twins!—Celebrían softly exclaimed. "'Tis even more impolite to talk about someone as if he were not standing right in front of you." She looked apologetically at the woodland prince though Legolas could have sworn he glimpsed a twinkle of humor in her eyes. "I beg pardon for my sons, Legolas. They meant no offense."

Legolas smiled and shook his head. "And I took none," he assured her. "Indeed, Elrohir only spoke the truth. I did stare at them far longer than would be deemed proper and for that I must beg pardon. I can only plead immense fascination for I have never beheld twins before and such astonishing likeness. I wondered how anyone could tell each from the other."

"There are some differences between them," Elrond said with a fond smile. "You will discover them if you look hard enough."

"But I think Legolas can already tell us apart," one of the brethren stated. With a start, Legolas realized they had quietly shifted position to flank him while he spoke to their parents. "At least, you know who I am, don't you," the twin addressed Legolas with eerie certainty.

And with just as much certainty, Legolas knew that he did though for the life of him, he did not comprehend how. "I – well, yea, I do," he admitted. "You have a forthright tongue, Elrohir."

The younger twin shrugged, "'Tis the most efficient way to get answers," he bluntly replied. "So long as concealment is not of the essence. And there is no need to hide the fact that you are not deceived by our likeness."

Legolas gaped at him for an instant, stunned by such unchildlike sagacity. "Indeed I am not but I haven't the faintest notion why this is so," he replied.

Elrond interjected a gentle opinion at this point, seeing that the archer needed some rescuing from his younger son's rather disconcerting assertions.

"When kindred spirits meet, they oft recognize the other," he said. "I would venture to guess that you see in Elrohir just such a connection and thus know him by it. But come, ernil neth."—young prince. "You and your party are weary from your journey. Take your ease now." He signaled to his steward to take care of the visitors.

Legolas smiled his thanks and began to follow the steward. But he felt a slender hand slip into his and he looked down into Elrohir's dusky eyes. Elladan stood by his brother's side.

"Your chamber is in our end of the west wing, between Elladan's and mine," the youth gravely informed him, all flippancy gone and proper decorum firmly in place. "We will take you there."

Wondering at the young Peredhel's mercurial nature, Legolas nodded his acquiescence and allowed the twins to conduct him thence.

Celebrían watched them go then turned to her lord. "I pray our guest survives this visit. Elbereth only knows what our sons will demand of him," she murmured.

Elrond sighed resignedly. "More to the point, let us hope Elrohir keeps his precociousness in check else Legolas may rue ever leaving his father's halls!"

Glossary:
Lairë – Quenya for summer
Edhil - Elves
Peredhil (sing. Peredhel) – Half-elven/Half-elves
Oropherion – son of Oropher

To be continued...