Hi all! This is the next chapter... I could have split it into two I think... but well. Anyway, I'm going out of the country soon for a lovely family holiday, so I've no idea when I can next update, probably when I come back... but I'm going to keep writing in the hotel room at night anyway! Whoo! Ok, so here's the next chapter, have fun!

Chapter One - Summer is Come

Spring was drawing to a close, and summer would soon begin. Alone in his study, Elrond stood by a window, looking out at the world around him, hands clasped serenely behind his back, his eyes distant as he enjoyed the light breeze playing on his clothes, and making his robes rustle.

Cel, he knew, was with the other ladies, having chosen to sit and sew for the afternoon. Elrond loved watching his wife sew, but he would never understand nor enjoy the fine art of it. Remembering Glorfindel's look of consternation and unbridled horror when Celebrian had once offered to teach Elrond's blond friend how to embroider many years back, the Lord of Imladris let out a rather undignified snicker.

Glorfindel could sew, and sew quite well, but Elrond rather suspected that his blond advisor would rather face another balrog once more than be caught sitting beside Celebrian and stitching little golden daisies on smooth white linen by his Lord, a situation that Glorfindel had been found in ages ago.

Glorfindel had not been entertained by the fact that he was sewing golden flowers and from that time on, had made himself scarce whenever Celebrian whipped out her needle. Elrond stitched wounds and Glorfindel his own torn tunics, and neither desired to embroider, a fact that Celebrian respected.

Elrond's lovely silver-haired wife had confided in him only recently that she had offered to teach Glorfindel how to sew his own golden flowers as a joke, but had not expected him to gallantly take up the offer, afraid of offending Celebrian. They had decided to keep that fact a secret from Glorfindel, but Elrond could scarce keep his lips from twitching everytime Glorfindel proceeded edging away from his wife the minute she commenced sewing.

Currently, the blond elf lord was out on one of Imladris' many lush training grounds, fulfilling his duty as Captain of the Home Guard, and training the many eager young soldiers under him. Glorfindel had hurridly disappeared after lunch, before Elrond could give him any of the paperwork he was due to complete. Whatever Glorfindel did, he generally did well. It was getting him to do it that was the problem.

Erestor was probably in his room, handling his share of documents. Elrond's two advisors were as different as night and day, and Elrond sometimes wondered how they managed to survive without killing the other first. With all the baiting and pranking they indulged in, Elrond was sure they were as bad as, if not worse than his sons in Troublemaker mode.

Much to Elrond's worry, he had seen neither hide nor hair of his sons since lunch. Elladan and Elrohir had lessons in the morning, but until they started their warrior training, their afternoons were theirs to enjoy as they would, unless they had received extra lessons as punishment from their tutor.

Istion, the twins' young tutor, was overjoyed at having as enthusiastic a learner as Elrohir under him. On the other hand, he despaired over Elladan, who seemed determined to drive Istion mad.

When Elrond had paid the twins a visit the week before, he had stayed hidden by the doorway for a moment, and had been treated to seeing Istion glaring in exasperation at Elladan, while the latter slouched down at his desk, returning look for look, and glowering at his tutor.

Istion appeared to be reprimanding Elladan about an ill-done piece of work, and neither tutor nor tutee appeared ready to listen to the other, with Elladan convinced that he had done well enough, and Istion that Elladan had barely put in any effort.

Elrohir had been reading some text quietly next to Elladan, with a partly amused, partly resigned air about him as he observed his elder brother desecrate the schoolroom table with several hard kicks, and driving, nay, shoving their teacher up the wall.

Elrond had left without a word, but later that night, he had pulled Elladan away from where the twins had been listening attentively to Celebrian telling a story and had a long talk with his older son. When Elladan seemed inclined not to listen to his father as a matter of pride, Glorfindel had turned up and cheerfully informed Elladan that his enrollment in training, which was due to start in the summer, depended on him paying attention in his lessons.

Quite apparently, Istion had been speaking to Glorfindel and showing him the various battle plans that often took the place of math solutions in Elladan's homework. Later that night, after the twins had gone to bed, and both elf lords had been alone with Celebrian, with no little prying ears trying to listen in to their conversation, Glorfindel had admitted with a shudder that he sounded terribly father-like.

While Glorfindel had no trouble commanding and scolding his soldiers, he hated having to reprimand the twins. The next day, he had apologized to a sulky Elladan, and brought him along to watch the home guard training. Needless to say, Elladan had practically skipped in with Glorfindel for dinner, throwing Elrohir, who had spent the afternoon in the Halls of Fire with Celebrian, a triumphant look.

The evening had ender with Elrohir in tears, and Elladan dragged out of the dining hall by Elrond, and sent to bed, before he could cause any more damage.

Elrond loved both of his sons dearly, but Elladan was just so… difficult that was the only word for it. Much to his regret, Elrond had never known his own father. Ereinion had been a wonderful substitute father figure as Elrond was growing up, but Elladan was little like his sire in temperament and hobbies, seeming to take more after Elros, in fact. Sometimes, Elrond was at a partial loss on what to do with his older son.

Elrohir was more easily pacified and easier to handle than Elladan, who was by nature more demanding. Elrohir's love for books and lore were easily satisfied by Elrond, while Elladan looked upon such activities with impatience.

With a soft sigh, Elrond pushed himself away from the railing. Peels of laughter could be heard from below, where a group of elflings were playing tag, before the sounds faded as the elflings scampered away. Elrond could just make our two identical dark heads in the midst of the others before the elflings turned a corner and were gone.

Looking at the large pile of papers on his desk, Elrond scowled. Then, he resignedly picked up his quill and started to pursue the first document. He had dozens of reports to go through, and with luck, he might just be able to finish by dinner.

~*~

Elrohir yelped as another, older, elfling almost tagged him. He had been eying the other catcher, and had forgotten about the first. Then, he was off, running swiftly along one of Imladris' many paths as the two older elflings chased him. Glancing back, he could see Hirion at the front of the pack. Hirion was leader to a large number of the elflings, being the oldest and biggest of the lot. Also, he had apparently been able to steal a pie from under the cook's nose once.

The cook sometimes gave the twins pies on days when she was in a good mood, or on special occasions, and they had never needed to steal a single one. Wisely, however, Elrohir chose to keep that fact to himself, never having found the need to disclose it to Hirion.

As Elrohir skidded around the corner, he caught sight of a flash of blue. There was a loud 'oof!' and two thuds as the twins fell onto the floor. Elladan had managed to avoid most of the elflings by clambering onto a roof as they tramped by. Unfortunately, one of the other elflings had caught sight of him, and Elladan had had to quickly slide down, ripping the sleeve of his tunic on an overhanging corner in the process, and quite nearly spraining his ankle.

Scrambling upright, his tunic muddy, Elladan offered a hand to his younger brother, pulling Elrohir up. Then, Elladan had sped away from the path, towards the forest, tugging Elrohir with him. There was a cry of "There they are!" as the other elflings saw them, the catchers eager to get their prey, and the spectators curious as to which of the twins would get caught first.

Weaving quietly through the forest, Elladan stifled his giggles with his hand. The others really had no idea where the brothers had disappeared to. Frowning, Elladan paused, tapping one foot thoughtfully. If he and 'Ro stayed together, they were sure to get caught. If they separated however…

Catching hold of Elrohir's shoulder, Elladan whispered, small face intent, "Ro, how about you go there, and I go here? Then they'll never catch us." Elrohir bit his lip. The last time the twins had gone wandering in the forest, they had gotten hopelessly lost, to the point where their Ada and Glorfindel had needed to search for them.

"Dan…"

Elladan scowled, stomping his foot defiantly on the ground. "I don't care," he announced in annoyance, "you're never any fun. I'm going, and don't try to follow me."

With that, Elladan roughly wrenched his arm from Elrohir and was soon lost to the thick tree trunks. Elrohir sighed. He really did not want to go any further into the forest, but if he continued standing at the same spot, then he would soon get caught. Then the other elflings would laugh at him, and they would all know that Elladan was a better hider than he was.

Glancing about, Elrohir was struck by a sudden inspiration. That tree was still quite young, and its branches were low enough such that Elrohir could climb up. If he hid in the tree, no one would see him, and perhaps Elladan would get caught for a change. Elladan would be furious of course, but it was only fair that he get caught some of the time.

With a wicked grin, Elrohir climbed slowly up, careful not to slip back down, and rested against a low branch, confident that the other elflings would not be able to catch him for once.

Hi, to all the lovely people who reviewed, I'm afraid I can't respond as yet, coz I've got to run as I haven't finished my theory, and I've got my music lesson in awhile. All the same, thanks alot! Haha, I was motivated to update faster, no? *grin*

To the rest of my lovely readers, look! There's a pretty little button down there. You know you want to review... Just give it a little click! Lol.

All the best, and ciao, till my next update! *scurries off to complete theory homework* Heh.