Rain In Rivendell
Disclaimer: If you've got this far and *still* think they're mine, I don't have a clue what world you're living in – coz THEY AIN'T MINE. OK?
Thanks to:
Lord Elrond of Hogwarts – don't split completely or you'll fall apart and thus won't be able to read (and review) the rest of this story!
lucidity – you'll soon find out what becomes of the mushrooms! Remember, though, that they're only targeting Elrond because they feel he needs "cheering up"…!
mirielle – I like to make Elladan (and Elrohir!) run when they're in trouble. And it's not over yet! Plus, I *had* to let Arwen get her revenge (there's more to come on that front…)
Estel Elven Enchantress – you put me on your Favourite Authors list? I feel honoured. I'm afraid I can't enlighten you on whether a certain Mirkwood Prince gets involved as well, but I shall say these words to you: remember that Thranduil is also in Rivendell and thus keeping a close eye on his son; and this is a twins-fic.
Cerridwen-Evereven – I agree with you completely! (Not that I have any brothers to get any revenge on – or sisters, for that matter). Glad you're still enjoying it!
And now on with the story!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 5
"Have you got them?"
"Pocket."
"Which one?"
"Does it matter?"
Pause. "I suppose not."
"Good."
"How do we get past the green conference room without being seen?"
"With great difficulty."
"If we are silent…"
"We are not invisible."
"You have a point."
"In other words, I am right."
"No comment."
"You cannot accept that I'm right?"
"I did not say that you were not."
"Ah, but you did not say that I was."
"Same thing."
"Hardly."
"It is."
"Is not."
"Is."
"Is not."
"Is – hush."
The green conference room was too close for the pair to continue to speak – or, in this case, bicker. As Elrohir had suspected, the door was ajar and some of those who were within could be glimpsed (though fortunately for the twins, were too focused on the council to notice a pair of dark-haired, mischief-seeking twins slip past). They heard Thranduil request that the discussion moved on to trading between Rivendell and his own realm in Mirkwood. The twins did not dare look at each other, with the knowledge of the report switch.
They crept to where they would safely be beyond earshot of even Elrond – for their father had an uncanny ability of detecting his sons even when he could detect no other sound – and closed the door of the room in which they found themselves. Just to be on the safe side.
Elladan perched upon the table. Do you notice the position of the door, tithen gwanur?" he inquired.
"I do."
"Arwen refuses to join with us now."
"I heard. It was somewhat difficult not to."
Elladan winced, placing one hand on his shoulder, where Arwen had rubbed him dry. And continued rubbing, until it was extremely sore. His sister certainly knew how to get her revenge – although being the sister of Rivendell's most infamous twins, it was hardly surprising. "We must take on her tasks."
"Indeed. But what must we do?"
"She was planning on placing a bucket of water over a door."
"Such as the one for the green conference room where the council is currently assembled?"
Elladan nodded. "Great minds think alike."
Elrohir frowned. "But surely water is boring and old? You did it to Glorfindel just last week – which is why you spent the next four days mucking out and completely cleaning every single stall in the stables."
"Just what exactly are you proposing?" Elladan leaned forward eagerly, eyes gleaming, pointedly ignoring the last comment.
"Some sort of dye that can easily be obtained."
"I refuse to go outside again. I am already in my fourth set of clothes today, and it is not yet four in the afternoon."
"Fear not, for I can slip some from the laundry rooms. The attendants will not be there, for it is their afternoon off, and I know where they keep it. Which colour would you prefer?"
"Which colours do they have?"
"Green, red, purple, blue, yellow, orange, and several others that I cannot think of at the moment."
"Hmmm." Elladan wrinkled his brow, deep in thought. "Perhaps green? We do need it to be reasonably easy to wash out, after all."
"Green it shall be. We shall meet back here. I shall obtain the dye and you get the bucket. Fill it nearly to the brim and for goodness' sake put a lid on it – I do not desire to have a repeat of the incident with the music teacher when we were mere elflings!"
"You were not the one drenched from head to foot in pink water!" retorted Elladan.
"Perhaps if you had thought to put a lid on before you gave me the bucket whilst I was upon the ladder, I would not have dropped it from the sheer weight! Water is heavy!"
"You have no need of telling me that; I was the one who had to carry it from the stables!"
"So it was your fault! Go on, get the bucket!"
Elladan, still muttering under his breath, departed to complete his task, while his brother left in the opposite direction.
They met again several minutes later, missions accomplished. Elrohir held up the bottle of green dye. Elladan eyed it doubtfully. "Are you sure that it is green? It appears awfully black to me."
"That is because it is so concentrated. Once it is in the water, it will be diluted and thus a paler colour."
"Not too pale, I hope!"
"Trust me." Elrohir unscrewed the lid, poured a substantial quantity of dye into the bucket and stirred it with a long wooden spoon that he had swiped from the kitchen (whilst also carrying out the hallucinogenic mushroom delivery). The water obligingly turned a bright green and Elladan grinned wickedly. "I like it!"
"I have to stir it non-stop for five minutes, to allow the dye to become fully mixed in with the water."
"How do you know this? I am sure that I never learned such things!"
"Eavesdropping on the laundry attendants does wonders for one's general knowledge," replied Elrohir sagely.
"Oh. I see. How should we place the bucket upon the door without being caught?"
"Ladder."
"And where exactly do you intend to get one without being seen?"
"There is one in the hall near to the conference room in which the council is being held."
"What about noise?"
"I shall manage."
Elladan snorted. "In other words, you have no idea."
Elrohir feigned hurt. "Did I say such a thing?"
"You did not need to."
The younger twin did not comment, and continued to stir for the necessary time. When the task was completed, Elladan, smirking, produced a lid. "We cannot have the same accident occurring twice."
They made their way to the conference room in silence. As Elrohir had said, there was a ladder around the corner from the room – repair work had recently been carried out on the ceiling, courtesy of another of the twins' misdeeds. Setting it up was no problem, as Arassuil was engaged in a heated discussion (the twins preferred the term 'argument') with one of the Gondorian representatives and thus masked any sound the twins made in setting up the ladder. Elladan very pointedly climbed the ladder, removed the lid of the bucket (which he threw down to Elrohir) and carefully positioned the bucket over the door. He clambered down – but just as he was doing so, he caught his foot in the second-from-bottom step, and tumbled to the ground. The ladder crashed to the floor.
Silence abruptly fell inside the conference room, Arassuil in mid-sentence.
The twins gulped.
Elrohir pushed the ladder from his twin as they heard a chair pushed loudly back inside the room.
They tore around the corner.
"Just what is going –" Elrond's enraged demand was cut short as he pushed the door open.
The bucket descended.
Elrond was covered in green dye from head to foot.
Thranduil, close behind, also received a substantial quantity of dye to his clothes. He was not impressed. At all.
"Whoever did this shall suffer," declared Elrond, his rage so tangible that smoke was almost visibly pouring from his ears. "And I know that they are still within earshot, so when I catch them…"
The twins fled.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~TBC~
Elvish translations:
tithen gwanur – little brother (blood relation)
