Pitter-patter, Ereinion believed that was what it was called. It made his lips draw up in the corners involuntarily because it was always the sound he heard before he was attacked by two little, silver haired, Noldor boys, latching themselves to his legs and begging him with their giddy little smiles to come play. He was always happy to comply with their wishes, whisking them up in his arms and spinning them about before he dropped to the ground with them and they began to wrestle gently as they were so much smaller than he.

They were so light that they illuminated even the gloom of their father's study. Silver hair made more crystalline and fine by the one blue eye and one brown eye both twins had. This had irritated most in the house as bets had been going on about whether or not the twins would resemble Elrond or Celebrían. Ereinion couldn't have been happier; he'd bet that they would be an equal of both parents save for the hair, which would come from Celeborn's line. The money he made went into buying twin, dapple-grey ponies a few months after the birth,

"Thank you for them."

"I'll wait until they are old enough to thank me themselves, the ponies are, after all, the twins gift," He said to Elrond when they were alone in his study some time after.

"Perhaps I should thank you now, myself." If more reluctant words were ever spoken in Ereinion's presence before, he could not recall them. Elrond would not meet his eyes and every movement seemed calculated, forced.

"I have to go actually, promised Brí I would look after the little ones this afternoon so you two could spend some time together." Standing, he left quickly without looking back.

There was something in what Elrond had said that made Ereinion feel patronized, like he was offering himself in thanks because he had nothing else to give.

Elrond watched him go and let the breath he had been holding go free. He had not wanted to be near Ereinion for months and felt like a traitor to someone who had given him a life worth living and filled a void he had thought insatiable.

But everything he was, his soul, heart and mind, all screamed at him that this was wrong, that it couldn't be without someone he loved more being hurt. The moment that had dawned on him, that he loved Celebrían more than he could ever love Ereinion now, he had distanced himself from his King with the excuse of his family. It wasn't an excuse, truthfully, he felt his family needed him more and he obliged.

As he had lived for his King before, Elrond promised anew that he would live for the lives of his sons and for the love of his wife. Nothing else could exist before, after or in between.

~*~

"You needn't Ereinion, we get quite enough time to ourselves," Celebrían said, smilingly.

"Think not on it, go be with your husband." He replied, forcing a smile.

Picking up the babies, he watched her leave and began to spin with them in his arms. The squeals which came from the children brightened his mood considerably and Ereinion stayed with them for most of the day, even when their parents came to collect them.

Elrond and Celebrían looked flushed when they walked in on Ereinion holding one of the children above his torso in a single hand while attempting to tickle the other into submission. Celebrían left Elrond immediately to take the suspended child, laughing as Ereinion scowled at her even as his mouth twitched to one side in a smile.

Her husband, however, had stood still, watching the group but not really taking in anything he witnessed. The keen memory of any one of elvish decent had crept up on him, as it was apt to do at times, with a recollection of something. Something he could not say he was happy for having done, from a time when he should have known much better. Upon the same bed his family was playing upon, with the same man.

The somber mood which afflicted the Lord of Imladris was noticed by his wife and King alone as most thought him to be pensive and unresponsive at the best of times. Celebrían had settled him in his study and sat with him a while, hoping to discern what it was that bothered him. After an hour and a half with a monosyllabic Elrond, she gave up, kissed him on the forehead and left him to sort through his own muddled mind in a way only he could.

With his wife gone, Elrond had nothing to distract him from his thoughts save the nagging suspicion that Ereinion was watching him from the doorway.

"I'm in no mood, my King." He didn't say for what he had not the mood, he didn't have to.

"I came not for your bed Peredhil, rather to ask you what the matter is." Stepping in, Ereinion did not make any further movement.

Elrond paused for a long while, vaguely knowing that the other would wait for him to speak until he ordered his thoughts. "In light of the new situation regarding my family," he began suddenly and steadily, " and very much despite what I said earlier, I cannot ever be what I was to you before. This matter cannot be argued Ereinion and it will not be lest you wish to search for yourself a new home."

The elven King had no intention of arguing against Elrond's wishes; rather, he was greatly relieved by them. He thought he might not have the strength to out and tell Elrond that he could not continue.

"I said nothing, Peredhil." Ereinion couldn't figure out how best to end the conversation, if the exchange could be called that, so he left quickly. He didn't wish to seem greatly affected by Elrond's words, as though they were natural course of things for indeed they were. He knew Elrond would not press nor even speak of the issue further and he didn't wish to either. It was done.

~*~

When he went to sleep that evening, Ereinion was actually in good spirits. The day had been stressful, true, but he felt a burden lifted from his shoulders. He had dined with the family as usual and it was easier. Lying back upon his mattress, he drifted to dreams he hoped would be more peaceful than usual.

The first thing that floated into the fog of sleep was a voice, speaking but not really making an impression on Ereinion's mind. In a flash, that changed and before him was a tall fellow who could not be described because anyone who was in his presence was instantly more drawn to his voice rather than his form. Yet, anyone who heard him, could not truly say they had.

~This cannot be. Now, with you to lean on, they are not strong enough to succeed against him.~

"What do you mean?"

~I mean you are a mistake, a slip up of the Valar which must be righted lest one of their previous mistakes disrupt things more than is supposed to occur.

They are only as strong as their foundation, which, presently, is you. The weight of Middle Earth resides upon your shoulders and I tell you now that you will topple them all.~

"I've defeated the unyielding before, my people are stronger than ever now."

~No, Gil-galad, they are not. Even within your absence, there is no guaranteeing that they will weather this storm upon the horizon.~

"Then there is no guaranteeing that the present state of things will shift to as it was before-."

~Oh no, things will right themselves in time but they have changed, things will not happen to those whom they should have.~

His words seemed to Ereinion suggestive as thought he were alluding to something Ereinion would, but had yet to, do. "So what is it I can do? Take my life? Fall upon Aeglos? This would be of great difficulty, Aeglos is rather long-."

Silence

The complete darkness around them melted into an array of muted colours, displaying vast fields surrounded by mountain ranges blanketed in snow and forests fresh with springs budding green. But this place was forebodingly silent.

Ereinion thought about the battlefields of the last war in the aftermath of Sauron's passing and found it a fit comparison.

Even as his ears picked out the sound of people laughing, Ereinion felt the tension growing, nature's mild warning flare. For as he heard the melodic voices of those he thought to be of his own kind, he heard voices which exasperated his senses.

The rolling waves of tall grass remained untouched however and Ereinion thought he was hallucinating until he remembered that he was dreaming and that it was impossible to hallucinate whilst dreaming. Ereinion looked to the fellow to whom he had been speaking but received no affirmation of the voices.

All he could do was listen as these whispers of people collided and many were hurt. Yet the grass continued to sway in meandering paths, untouched by an unseen battle.

The dream didn't end as most of Ereinion's did. It simply became less clear until it was gone and he slept on but it was burned upon his mind the moment he woke, clear and sobering.

It was early dawn for which Ereinion was thankful, he didn't want to sleep again that night.

~*~*~*~~*~*~*~~*~*~*~~*~*~*~~*~*~*~

Ever so sorry for all the time this has taken, but I'm sure everyone knows that English can be a Balrog!

(Thanks go to Nemis for telling me that it messed up on the upload!)