*waves hands in the air*
No, no, it's not mine…
I finally get started on this, and what happens? Thunderstorm, and goodbye to what I'd managed to finish. I like storms, but it just had to go and make things difficult…
Anyway, I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up. The end of school, exams, a trip to see my friend, then another to Scotland and England…I hope that's a suitable justification for the wait. I am sorry, though.
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Chapter Four: A Window of OpportunityThe prince woke up to a knock on his bedroom door sometime in the middle of the stormy night (or was it morning?), and was dragged unceremoniously away from his dreams. They were dreams he was glad to be awakened from, but he couldn't remember why. Shaking off the vestiges of sleep, he made his way carefully to the chamber door. He nearly slipped on a slick spot on his floor, and grabbed onto the bedpost to steady himself. It wouldn't do for him to fall and get a black eye, thereby besmirching his reputation as a graceful Elf. He opened the door and again came face to face with Elrohir, although this time he was looking rather sleepy himself, and was apparently distressed by something. He managed to grin at his friend, and stepped aside to let him enter.
"Scared of the storm, Elly?"
This was rewarded with a scrunched up face and a snort as Elrohir shook his head. If there was one thing he and his brother hated, it was this particular shortening of their names. Legolas closed the door and took a seat on his bed, while Elrohir chose a pleasantly cushioned chair instead.
"I just…couldn't sleep. I've got a bad feeling about something, but I don't know what. I'm worried…"
He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, trying to get them to stay open, then looked back at Legolas, and noticed something he hadn't when he came in. He also decided to return the blonde's jibe from before.
"Hey, Leggy, what're you all wet for? Go for a late-night walk in the rain or something?"
Alarmed, Legolas looked down at himself. He'd fallen asleep in his clothes, and they were indeed quite wet. His hair was the same, and hung in darkened, curling tendrils around his face and shoulders. Hiding his momentary distress, he latched onto the first feasible reason for his appearance.
"Oh, that? I forgot to shut my window, so I guess the rain blew in on me."
As he really had left the window open (which would explain the slick spot on the floor), he got up and closed it. Rather than returning to the bed, he leaned against the wall. There was an awkward silence (could Elrohir tell he was lying?), during which Legolas twirled a rain-soaked piece of hair around his index finger in an effort to conceal his tension. Thankfully, the darker-haired of the pair seemed not to notice anything was amiss.
"Since it would seem as though neither of us can sleep, I suggest we do something productive with our time…"
Thranduil's son had a positively gleeful look on his deceptively innocent face as he looked up, and Elrohir couldn't help but be caught up in it.
"And what do you suggest we do, my devious friend?"
"Well, I think we should go check in on our good friend Estel, and see how he is sleeping this night. What do you say?"
He'd stopped playing with his hair by now, and was swept up by his own enthusiasm. Oh, the things they could do to the poor, unsuspecting Man!
"A wondrous idea, Prince of Mirkwood. What say we pay him a visit? I know just where my father put him…"
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The passing of a few minute's time found them not in Aragorn's bedchamber, but rather in the kitchen. After all, what good is a prank if you're going to starve to death before you're done? The two young Elves were giggling uncontrollably, but only partially due to the upcoming fun. Legolas had had to stand on a counter to get at the eggs (whose idea was it to put them up so high?), but slipped in his own puddle of water; this sent him on an impressive downward journey, as well as the eggs he'd been holding. He ended up on the floor with sore regions that need not be discussed, but the eggs (not to mention Elrohir) were far more unfortunate. Elrohir was sporting raw eggs in his hair, along with broken eggshells that went quite dashingly with his dark mane. Naturally, a food fight had ensued, during which they were careful not be too loud. Now the both of them had bits and pieces of culinary delights sticking to their persons, although they'd managed to get some in themselves, unable to bear the thought of such lovely food going completely to waste.
Hence fortified against hunger, and equipped with a jug of very cold water, they crept down the hallway to…see how their friend the Ranger was doing. Aragorn had been long away from Rivendell and its more miscreant inhabitants (and in this case, visitor), and had forgotten the danger of sleeping with his door unlocked. This afforded them easy access, and they stifled their giggles as they made their way silently over to the bed of the unsuspecting victim.
Legolas very nearly gave them away when he heard what Aragorn was muttering about in his sleep, but Elrohir saved them by clapping a hand over Thranduillion's mouth. Elrohir snickered quietly, though he looked a bit chagrined. Well, it was his sister, after all. Once the roguish duo had themselves under control, they leaned over the sprawled form of the sleeping human, grinning like mad. Unable to contain themselves any longer, they dumped the icy water right on his face. Jerked awake, Aragorn sat up spluttering and flailing, trying to clear the water from his eyes. Despite his best efforts, all he got was a glimpse of two fleeing individuals, one with light hair and one with dark. The dark-haired Elf paused in his flight long enough to shout something that sounded like "'Morning, Estel!" before he shot off after the other. Aragorn tried to give chase, but slipped and landed hard on the floor, and was left wondering what blackberry jam was doing on the floor.
"Legolas! Elrohir! I'm gonna get you for this, I swear!"
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.endchapter.
Ah, there. I know nothing really important happened, but I just had to get in one of their stunts. I almost feel sorry for poor Aragorn. Almost.
Nikki: Yep! It was Leggy! *reaches up and pats him on the head*
Katrina: Hee. *does the evil cha-cha-cha with her*
Asha: To answer your first question: because I am a cruel, cruel person. Secondly, that's a secret (in fact, it's so secret that I'm not even sure yet ^^).
Anolinde: Thank you! *gets warm, fuzzy feeling*