Disclaimer: I wish I own them, I really do, but it's just wishful thinking. They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and Eru. And I'm neither.

Author's note: There will be no slash, no MS and no love stories except for the canon ones. Elladan and Elrohir are loving brothers, Elrond and later Thrandúil are loving fathers and wise rulers, not abusing bastards. That's about it.

Note for chapter: One more elf about whom we don't know much. So, once again, this is just my opinion: Haldir is the Marchwarden of Lothlórien and he is older than the twins, older than Legolas, but older than … let's say Elrond or Erestor. He must've known Celebrían and for my story's purposes he used to be in charge with protecting her. And one more thing … Haldir is mine. Unless he is married and the professor forgot to tell us, in which case I'll move along. I do not want to mess with the Galdhrim, males or females.

Chapter 4: Lothlórien elves are soft. Just like the Imladris ones.

Elrohir's POV

It was the first time we were leaving Imladris for more than a few days and both I and my brother were very excited. We kept asking our parents to ride faster, or for Glorfindel to try and catch us. Erestor had to stay behind, to take care of our home in our parents' absence, but he seemed strangely happy not to come with us and actually I noticed he looked at ada, naneth and Glorfindel with both pity and amusement in his eyes. I wonder why.

We were going to visit daeradar and daernaneth in Lothlórien and naneth could not stop talking about the home of her childhood, the beauty of the trees and the feeling of peace and contentment it brought to everyone.

- Probably since you left, laughed Glorfindel.

- I do not understand what you mean, mother answered firmly.

- Should I remind you of the instance when …

- Glorfindel, ada interrupted with, I do not think it is appropriate in front of the children.

- I might give them ideas?

- That too, ada ended the conversation, looking warily at us.

Of course we looked back with our most innocent faces, which started not to have the desire effect anymore. I think my brother and I must come up with something new.

The trip to Lothlórien didn't take too long, at least we didn't feel like it was too long, both Elladan and I being too busy running, riding, chasing each other and other elves, trying to play pranks on everybody and generally being restless. By the time we saw the woods of Lothlórien, ada and naneth gave us to other elves to ride with and Glorfindel had a rather nasty look reserved only for us.

We had barely set foot in the woods when several elves, all with long blond hair, jumped from the trees in front of us.

- Mae govannen, the leader bowed low in front of our parents and Glorfindel. Welcome to Lothlórien.

- It is so good to be here, my mother smiled and hugged the elf. And it is good to see you, Haldir.

- My lord Elrong, my lord Glorfindel, you honor us with your presence, he bowed again.

- Of you bow one more time, you won't get back up, Glorfindel growled.

Everybody turned surprised and looked at the angry elf-lord.

- I can not believe I am saying this, but I really am tired, upset and frustrated. I want to take a bath, eat and keep away from the Peredhil family for the rest of our stay here.

- Problems on the road, mellon-nín? asked Haldir smiling, turning to a casual tone.

- You'll see, you'll see. They are your problem now, just as their mother has been a long time ago.

We saw Haldir paling a little and took that as the cue to introduce ourselves:

- I am Elladan, my brother said.

- I am Elrohir, I added.

- Identical twins, Haldir groaned. It is a pleasure to meet you, he added immediately smiling to us. I am Haldir, the Marchwarden of Lothlórien. These are my …, he turned his head and stopped. Those were my brothers, Rúmil and Oróphir.

- They swiftly left when Glorfindel said something about somebody being your problem, ada told him barely holding his laughter. I am sure they remembered they had something urgent to do.

- I am sure, my lord, Haldir sighed and then moved in front of us to show us the way.

After a few steps, Elladan and I went straight to him, grabbed his hands, one on each side and started asking question:

- How long have you been living here?

- Where did you live before that?

- Do you like it here?

- Have you visited Imladris and Mirkwood?

- Have you seen the spiders in Mirkwood?

- Do you have any other brothers?

- Do you hunt?

- What do you hunt?

- Can we go with you?

- Will you show us your home?

We would've kept talking, despite the fact that Haldir looked a little dizzy, but mother told us to stop and walk with her. Only then Glorfindel stepped up to his friend and put his hand on his shoulder nudging him to move along.

The reunion with our grandparents was joyous and heartfelt, but Elladan and I had our minds set on testing a certain Marchwarden. As soon as we could, we left our parents and grandparents and went in the search of Haldir. With the help of two elves who introduced themselves as Haldir's brothers we found his talan.

- Haldir, Elladan screamed at the top of his lungs.

- How can I help you, El…, he hesitated.

- Ladan, my brother supplied helpfully. What are you doing?

- I am resting. I have just come back after several months on the border.

- Can you take us to Celebrant? I asked

- Not now, Elrohir. I have to make my report to lord Celeborn and I need to rest.

- Plus anybody related to the Lord and Lady and Celebrant do not bode well, we heard Glorfindel's amused voice behind us.

Haldir groaned and covered his face with his hands.

- Then will you take us, Glorfindel?

- No, he answered firm.

- Please, Glorfindel. You know how much we love you, we both looked at him with our best puppy eyes.

- That will not work, my young ones. I do not fall for that this easy.

- Haldir? we turned our eyes to him.

- No.

- Please? we added a few tears just for good measure.

- Oh, for the love of Valar. Very well, I will take you. Wait for me outside.

- Thank you, Haldir, thank you, we jumped in joy and kissed him enthusiastically.

Lesson in life: yes, Lothlórien elves are just as soft as the ones from Imladris, you only have to know how to talk to them.

Haldir's POV

We had been waiting for the party from Imladris for two days. It rejoiced our hearts to see lady Celebrían once again in the Golden Wood and I was looking forward to spend some time with Glorfindel. As soon as they set foot in the woods we jumped from the trees.

- Mae govannen, I bowed low in front of lord Elrond, lady Celebrían and Glorfindel. Welcome to Lothlórien.

- It is so good to be here, she smiled and hugged me. And it is good to see you, Haldir.

- My lord Elrond, my lord Glorfindel, you honor us with your presence, I bowed again.

- Of you bow one more time, you won't get back up, Glorfindel growled.

I could not believe he did that. First of all, he does not growl, second of all, he knew we had to greet them formally before greeting them as friends. What was wrong with him?

- I can not believe I am saying this, but I really am tired, upset and frustrated. I want to take a bath, eat and keep away from the Peredhil family for the rest of our stay here.

- Problems on the road, mellon-nín? I smiled, turning to a casual tone.

- You'll see, you'll see. They are your problem now, just as their mother has been a long time ago.

I swear I paled a little as I just remembered that in the party were the twin sons of the Lord and Lady of Imladris. All of a sudden the grumpiness of my friend started to make sense.

- I am Elladan, one of them said.

- I am Elrohir, the other added.

- Identical twins, I groaned. It is a pleasure to meet you, I added immediately, realizing their parents were right there. I am Haldir, the Marchwarden of Lothlórien. These are my …, I turned my head and stopped. Those were my brothers, Rúmil and Oróphir.

- They swiftly left when Glorfindel said something about somebody being your problem, lord Elrond said barely holding his laughter. I am sure they remembered they had something urgent to do.

- I am sure, my lord, I sighed and then moved in front to show them the way. Not that they really needed, but I was trying to get away from the twins. I never had the gift of foretelling, but something was really telling me that I am in trouble.

After a few steps, Elladan and Elrohir ran next to me, grabbed my hands, one on each side and started asking question:

- How long have you been living here?

- Where did you live before that?

- Do you like it here?

- Have you visited Imladris and Mirkwood?

- Have you seen the spiders in Mirkwood?

- Do you have any other brothers?

- Do you hunt?

- What do you hunt?

- Can we go with you?

- Will you show us your home?

Somewhere around the question number twenty I started feeling slightly dizzy. It was uncanny how identical they were in everything, how they completed each other's sentences and how many questions they could put in a very short time. Yes, they were definitely the sons of Celebrían, I remembered all so well the days and years when I was her protector/ instructor/ horsey/ pillow /all-knowing. Thankfully she told them to stop asking me so many questions and walk with her. Only then Glorfindel stepped up to me and put his hand on my shoulder nudging me to move along.

I was trying to rest (yes, it might not be usual for elves to sleep in the middle of the days, but three months on the borders, with my brothers, tend to wipe out anybody) when I heard a scream:

- Haldir.

- How can I help you, El…, I hesitated.

- Ladan, he supplied helpfully. What are you doing?

- I am resting. I have just come back after several months on the border.

- Can you take us to Celebrant? the other one asked

- Not now, Elrohir. I have to make my report to lord Celeborn and I need to rest.

- Plus anybody related to the Lord and Lady and Celebrant do not bode well, we heard Glorfindel's amused voice behind us.

I groaned and covered my face with his hands. Glorfindel was almost jumping in joy that he is not in charge of the twins. As tired as I was I seriously contemplated returning to patrol immediately.

- Then will you take us, Glorfindel?

- No, he answered firm.

- Please, Glorfindel. You know how much we love you, both looked at him.

- That will not work, my young ones. I do not fall for that this easy.

- Haldir?

Ai, Valar, they turned their puppy eyes on me. I must resist. I must resist. I must resist.

- No.

- Please? they said with tears in their eyes.

- Oh, for the love of Valar. Very well, I will take you. Wait for me outside.

- Thank you, Haldir, thank you, they jumped in joy and kissed me enthusiastically.

So much for me resisting! On the other hand I was never able to resist my other young charge by the name of Celebrían.

- You are doomed, my friend, Glorfindel laughed.

- I know I am, I sighed.

- They already have you wrapped around their little fingers.

- I know. Stop rubbing it in, Glorfindel.

- I should, but I can't. I am too happy to be away from them.

- At least they live with you in Imladris, they are only visiting here.

And I had the satisfaction of seeing the mighty Balrog-Slayer turning white and grumpy at the mere mention of two elflings.

TBC…

Yes, bits and pieces of Elvish just here and there, when they are supposed to speak only in Elvish is not quite right, but I love those words, I can't help myself.

Answers to reviewers:

Larissa: Thank you very much. You should read "Elrond's boys" by Dragon Confused. Excellent story!

SilentBanshee: Haldir was gracious enough to tell me about his first encounter with the twins, but for now Glorfindel deftly dodges all my questions regarding his embarrassing moments at the hands of the elflings. He'll come around, don't worry.

KissTheRainGirl12489: Thank you very much. I don't know where some people got the idea that Thrandúil is a mean, abusing person, but in my book he is one of the greatest kings of elves.

Neoinean: As long as I have inspiration. Actually my muse gave me an idea for the last chapter, which is tough far down the line.