Disclaimer: Anything pertaining to Middle Earth or its inhabitants belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien and his heirs.  I am just playing… I promise to put my toys away when I am done.

Startings and Surprises

Two quiet shadows snuck into the warm and well-kept stable.  Most of the horses and ponies immediately dismissed the pair, since they were obviously not the ones coming with their morning grain.  To their surprise, there were at least a half-dozen horses they did not recognize, all with unfamiliar tack and builds quite unlike that of the deceptively delicate elven steeds.  They wished they could ask someone about this strange appearance, but the stable master was not around.  The stable master, a kindly elf whom the twins adored, was busy up at the main house giving the morning report.  Thus, he was not there to see the twin elflings sneak into their ponies' stalls.  The two sturdy grey ponies greeted their masters enthusiastically, nuzzling them for hidden treats, which the twins obligingly delivered.  Once this greeting ritual was over, Elladan began to vigorously groom his little gelding while Elrohir fetched the ponies' grain.  The packs that they had been hauling were left inside one of the ponies' stalls, since it would be burdensome to carry them around while they worked.  Their ada and Glorfindel had warned them repeatedly against forcing their mounts to work without properly caring for them first.  Besides, true adventurers took good care of their animals – everybody knew that.  Asfaloth, Glorfindel's stallion, watched the pair calmly.  Elrohir waved to the great white horse cheerfully has he carefully put the grain buckets away after filling the ponies' mangers.  He had always liked Glorfindel's horse.  He did think that it was terribly odd, however, that Glorfindel always named his horses Asfaloth.  Surely, it was more fun to think of a new name each time!  It had been great fun to name his own pony 'Stormy', while Elladan had named his 'Cloudy'.  Of course, they had been little then, or they would have thought of better, and more heroic, names for their steeds.  They had obviously done a lot of growing up in the last few months.  He dragged a rough-hewn stool over to the equipment racks and picked out the two pony-sized halters that ada had given them, making sure to keep the leather from dragging as he carried them back to the stalls, where Elladan was finishing his furious grooming job of the second pony.  He hooked Elladan's halter on the convenient elfling-height handle outside of Cloudy's stall, and began working on tacking his Stormy.

            "'Dan, do you think we have enough honey-cakes?" he asked as he carefully slid the halter over Stormy's nose.

            "I think so."  Carefully Elladan hefted his brother's bulging leather pack over the wooden partition that separated them.  It balanced precariously on top of the wall, and then toppled over into the hay on Elrohir's side.  Both pony and elfling sneezed at the dust the pack raised.  After pulling on his pony's saddle, Elrohir shoved the pack onto his pony's broad back, trying to tie it down like he had seen Glorfindel's warriors do when they were heading out for patrols or drills.  It always looked so neat and tidy when they did it, rather unlike the chaotic mess Elrohir was creating.  Finally, he stood back and examined his finished product.  While his pack looked considerably less secure than Glorfindel's ever had, he was rather proud of it.  The ability to tie one's pack to one's horse was truly the skill of an adventurer.  Deciding that he was ready, he led his pony to where Elladan was waiting.  Elladan's pony was tacked in a manner similar to Elrohir's, save the many knots he used to tie down his pack were slightly different than Elrohir's, though the effect was equally artistic. 

            The sun was now just above the horizon, brightening the eastern sky.  Birds just returned from their winter homes began their daily chorus.  There were still patches of snow along the rim of the valley, and the pure whiteness gleamed in the morning light.  Both young elves stopped at the stable's great gate, staring out over the forested valley.

            "We probably will not return for a long time."  Elladan commented quietly.  "Quests have to take a long time to be worthwhile." He added with all of the authority of a budding scholar of lore.  His grey eyes were wide with more than a little fear and uncertainty, though eh would never admit as much to Elrohir.  Besides, the stories never mentioned adventurers being scared, so he would not be scared. 

            He could not know that Elrohir was just as frightened and just as unwilling to say so.  They had never left the valley before.  He knew daeradar and daernaneth lived in Lothlorien, which was south and east of the valley… somewhere.  He was not sure how far in each direction they were supposed to go to find their way there.  He also knew there were wood-elves near Lothlorien, though he was not sure where.  Ada always said they were fierce but loyal, though Glorfindel called them other, more interesting, things when the balrog slayer thought he and his brother were not around.  He had asked his ada once why Glorfindel said those things and what they meant, but ada had looked very sad and rather angry, and Glorfindel had turned an alarming shade of red.  He had not asked again.

            Also, he knew that Cirdan, the elf who make boats, lived somewhere west of the valley.  He had never met Cirdan, but he was fascinated by stories of the ancient Teleri.  He wondered what having a beard felt like.  Maybe he would grow one some day and find out. 

            Of course, he knew that Glorfindel had grown up in Gondolin, and Erestor in Lindon, but he was pretty sure those places did not exist any more.  Thus, it would be rather silly to try to go there… even though he thought it would be neat to go see Glorfindel's home.  It was so hard getting Glorfindel to talk about it.  However, with all this knowledge, there was one thing he still lacked.  The one thing he did not know was which whey they should go to find out where their ada and naneth had gone. 

            "We have to be brave, like ada when his ada and naneth left." Elrohir encouraged softly, though it was difficult to tell whether he was trying to bolster Elladan's confidence or his own.  Whichever it was, Elladan nodded in agreement.  Then, by some silent signal known only to them, they mounted their ponies and started down the path that led out of Imladris.

            A lone rider, dusty from the road, galloped down the narrow path leading into the hidden valley of Imladris.  His dark visage was bloodied and weary, and he road as if the very wolves of Sauron were at his heels.  As horse and rider passed under the overhanging branches of the first trees in the wooded valley, a sudden, commanding voice brought both to a standstill.

            "Daro!" The stern voice cried.  "State your business, stranger!"  Normally Hirtirun, the captain of the morning guard, would be much more friendly and much less abrupt with travelers, but this matter looked as if it needed immediate attention.  Besides, after hearing the tales of the previous watch, he was taking no chances.  Easily he leapt from his perch high up in a massive elm to land near the horse and rider, though he was careful to keep far enough away to avoid spooking the horse further, and to also keep well away from the rider should this prove to be a trick.  The rider's next words put most of his fears at ease, on that account at least.

            "Thank the Valar, I feared I had chosen the wrong valley to ride into." The rider gasped as he rubbed a steadying hand along his quivering mount's proud neck.  "My name is Felton, I am the king's messenger… please, I must speak to Maechen.  I tracked his party here, and I have news for him." 

            "Come, Commander Maechen is here, as are his two subordinates, I believe.  Lord Elrond is caring for him."  Felton paled at hearing this, but his questions were forestalled by Hirtirun's commanding gesture.   "Ask your questions on the way – I cannot leave my post for long." Hirtirun ordered, then swiftly led the young Dunadan deeper into the haven of Imladris.  Silence descended into that small portion of the valley.  Quietly, two shadows detached themselves from the shadowed forest, leading two equally small ponies.  They crept up the road, climbing steadily out of the valley, shushing their ponies all the way.

            Elrond only paused in his rooms for a moment to shed his bloodstained clothing and take a quick cat-bath.  Clad in fresh robes of deep blue, he headed towards the twins' room, smiling in anticipation.  Elladan and Elrohir had been looking forward to this day for quite some time with all the impatience the young possess.  Each minute had seemed a day, and the days had stretched without end… or at least that was what he had been told repeatedly by two anxious elflings.  Gently he pushed open the door, calling to his sons as he did so.

            "Elladan?  Elrohir?  Time to…" he trailed off as the brightening light of morning revealed that both beds were empty, and he was talking to himself.  Unconsciously he arched an eyebrow in surprise, taking in the mussed beds and the sleep clothes strewn over the floor.  He was pondering where his sons could have disappeared off to this early in the morning when rapid footsteps in the hall caught his attention.  Glorfindel, looking quite harried, burst through the doorway bare moments later.  He looked around the room hastily to be sure the twins were nowhere within earshot before delivering his news.

            "A young Dunadan has come with messages for Maechen.  There are wargs coming down from the mountains and moving closer to Imladris." The blonde warrior announced with the calm that came with millennia of training and experience.  Elrond nodded, showing he was listening, as he formulated a rough plan.

            "For a scouting patrol and keep the wargs well away from the valley." The elf lord ordered.  "Make sure, however, not to stir up too much commotion.  Many are already nervous with the sudden arrival of our guests."  As Glorfindel turned to leave, Elrond laid a stilling hand on his arm.  "One other thing – have you seen Elladan and Elrohir?  It seems their excitement woke them earlier than I guessed it would." Elrond inquired, smiling with amusement.  Glorfindel shook his head.

            "No, I have been organizing increased watches since before first light." Glorfindel replied, clearly aggravated by that fact.  He had not been pleased to hear of an attack so near to the valley.  Elrond sighed and shook his head as well.

            "I only hope they have not gotten into too much… trouble…" his voice trailed off and all amusement left his face.  Both of the twins' cloaks were gone, as were their heavy boots.  All of their favorite toys were missing as well… and perhaps most disturbingly, the two practice knives he had given the pair five years ago were absent.

            "I will send out search parties immediately." Glorfindel left the room at a dead run.  There was, perhaps, an innocent explanation for these signs, but both elves knew what sort of mischief young elflings could get into – especially a certain pair of twin-born elflings.

            Elrond stood, a bit stunned, in his sons' room for a long moment.  What had gotten into the young elves' heads?  He prayed that they had not wandered far, not now of all times.  Finally, he shook himself and headed out the door.  He moved swiftly towards the infirmary.  Celebrian must know of this, and she must know of this from him.