A/N I am back! Here is the next chapter! I hope you like the fluffy twin moment!

Chapter 8: We Lied

Elladan was going to speak with Salnor, the father of Salnwen and Salndir. He walked down the halls and nearly bumped into his twin. Elrohir fell to the floor out of surprise and Elladan was at his side helping his twin to stand up.

"I am sorry Elrohir," Elladan apologized.

Elrohir chuckled. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, gwanur-nin?" 

"I am going to speak with Salnor," he replied.

"No you are not," Elrohir stated.

"Why is that, dear brother?" Elladan asked.

"You are too quarrelsome Elladan," Elrohir replied steadily.

"I am not!" Elladan snapped.

"Brother, you cannot speak calmly right now; how do you expect to keep from wringing the elflings' necks?" Elrohir asked. "I know the reason you are going to speak with Salnor is on the account of his children and how they treat Estel."

            Elladan just glared at his twin. "Why do you not speak with him then? I will await Ada in our sitting room."

            Elrohir nodded. "Alright, I will see you when I return from Salndor and Alima's house."

            Elladan sighed and removed his cloak that was oiled so that rain slid off. "Take my cloak; you are not fit for walking in the rain."

            Elrohir smiled and gave his brother a tight hug. "I love you Elladan, and so does Estel."

            Elladan looked miserable at the mention of Estel and to Elrohir's complete surprise he hung on to him. "I hope you are right brother, for I miss Estel."

            "We all do Elladan," Elrohir whispered in his twin's ear.

            Elladan broke the embrace and fastened his cloak around Elrohir, pulling up the hood as he did so. "Good luck."

            Elrohir chuckled at his twin and batted his hand away when he tried to cover him more in the cloak. "Elladan, I have the same amount of years as you do."

            Elladan smiled slightly. "I worry about you."

            Elrohir smiled back. "I appreciate it. Elladan I am always going to be here for you, do not worry. Go to Estel and Ada, I know that is where you desire to be. I will speak with their parents and come back."

            Elladan looked at his brother as though looking for a lie. "Are you sure?"

            Elrohir took his brother's hand. "If I was not sure I would not do this. Elladan I love Estel very much and it pains me to see him so sad. I know you are hurting too but please brother, please show that you love him."

            Elladan looked at Elrohir perplexed and tried to pull his hand away. "I do let him know that I love him!"

            Elrohir held onto Elladan's hand and shook his head. "You love him; I know that, he knows that, and Ada knows that. Elladan, you just do not show it. You are overprotective of him and you do not give him enough physical attention."

            Elladan looked hurt. "I try," he croaked.

            "May I talk to you about this for a few minutes?" Elrohir asked. When Elladan nodded Elrohir pulled his twin into one of the empty rooms and pushed him onto a couch. Elrohir sat next to him. "Elladan I know you try. You love Estel so fiercely but I think that maybe he does not feel as though you do sometimes," Elrohir said hesitantly.

            "What do you mean?" Elladan asked.

            "We have had this conversation before, Elladan. You know of what I speak of," Elrohir whispered.

            "Elrohir, obviously I do not for I am asking you to explain." Elladan replied.

            Elrohir smiled slightly. "Elladan, Estel knows you love him dearly but I think that sometimes you do not show it enough for him."

            "He knows though," Elladan said.

            Elrohir nodded. "Yes, he does know, but you need to show it."

            Elladan sighed and got up from the couch. "I do not give him enough physical attention. I always assumed he knew that I love him."

            Elrohir smiled. "He does know but hug him and play with him."

            "I do," Elladan replied.

            "Yes, but not enough." Elrohir told him.

            Elladan nodded and kissed his twin's forehead. "Please find out what happened, Elrohir."

            Elrohir smiled up at Elladan and stood. "Go to Estel and Ada."

            "I will; now hurry." Elladan gave his brother a gentle shove.

            Elrohir laughed, and the twins left the room and walked their separate ways.

            Elrohir hoped that Elladan had understood everything he had said. He knew his brother cared deeply for their younger brother but he also knew that sometimes Elladan could seem withdrawn and even aloof. His brother had been hardened by their mother's leaving many years ago, but even before that he had always been the serious one. The one who would hide what he thought to be his weakness. Elrohir shook his head and opened the door, pulling the cloak hood back up; he stepped out into the torrent of heavy rain.

            Elladan watched his brother walk out into the rain and turned up to where the guest chambers were. He hoped that his father and Estel were still in there. He did not want to deal with the humans. He knew that they would not be pleased to see him, especially when they thought that the twins had harmed Estel. It would not be good to tell them that they lived in the house they had taken refuge in during the rain. It would not be good, that is, until everything had been sorted out.

            ~*~

            Elrohir walked from his house and walked quickly to where Salnor and his family lived. He knocked on the door and heard the pitter-patter of bare feet running to the door. The door was opened by an elfling who looked to be about ten by human standards. The child's face paled when she saw who it was that was knocking.

            "Come in milord," she mumbled.

            Elrohir looked at Salnwen and frowned; he knew at that moment that she was guilty of hurting his younger brother. "Thank you."

            Salnwen nodded and motioned for him to sit. "I will get my father."

            Elrohir nodded and removed his cloak. He didn't want to make the house wet from the water that was sliding off of his cloak. He hung it on the rack and waited for Salnor to appear. He smiled when Salnor came out to greet him.

            "Lord Elrohir, to what do we owe your visit?" Salnor asked pleasantly.

            Elrohir sighed slightly. "I am sorry Salnor; I am not here for a visit." Salnor nodded and waited for Elrohir to continue. "I came because my brother Estel ran away a few days ago."

            Salnor looked worried. "Did you find him?"

            Elrohir nodded. "Yes, we did."

            Salnor nodded. "If you do not mind me asking, why did he run away?"

            Elrohir sighed. "That is the reason I am here. I was curious as to what your children knew of him leaving. He was last seen playing with them and then running off. We think that perhaps Salnwen and Salndir said something to hurt his feelings or scare him off."

            Salnor's face darkened. "Salndir, Salnwen get out here!" he barked.

            Salndir and Salnwen walked from the hall and into the living room. Both children had dark brown hair and green eyes. Salndir looked to be about fifteen by human standards, but was in fact far older. Salnwen looked to be around ten.

            "We are in trouble now," Salnwen hissed to her brother.

            "Shut up Salnwen!" Salndir hissed back.

            Elrohir kept his face impassive. He knew that he and his brother had been right in assuming that these two had done something to Estel. He looked at the two children who slunk over to stand in front of their father with their eyes looking anywhere but at his face. If the situation had been pleasant he might have laughed for all the times he and his twin had done the same thing in front of their father.

            "What did you two do to little Estel?" Salnor demanded angrily.

            Elrohir almost jumped at the sound of Salnor's angry voice. He was used to Salnor being a pleasant and joking fellow; to see him angry was odd.

            "Nothing Ada!" Salndir said.

            Salnor looked at his child disapprovingly. "Do not lie, Salndir."

            Elrohir lightly touched Salnor's shoulder. "May I speak to them?" he asked.

            Salnor nodded. "Do as you like, Lord Elrohir."

            Elrohir smiled and looked at the children. "Do you know anything about my younger brother running off during the rain a few days ago? He was last seen playing with you and I was curious as to what caused him to leave. Do you know anything?"

            The children squirmed. They would lie to their father but not to their lord. Both children nodded their heads guiltily. "Yes," they mumbled.

            Salnwen looked at her feet. "We made him leave; we said things to him that hurt him."

            Elrohir had to hold in a sigh. "Why?" he asked.

            They both shook their heads; they didn't know the reason for their words.

            Salnor looked at his children. "Why did you say things of that nature to Estel? What made you think it was appropriate?"

            Salndir shrugged. "We were just…" Salndir trailed off.

            "We lied," Salnwen said to Elrohir. She was squirming while he looked at her and looked at his shoes. "We lied to Estel because…" She shrugged, not knowing what to say and terrified that Elrohir was going to kill her.

            Elrohir noticed that his presence was causing the children even more discomfort than the angry tone in their father's voice. He looked at Salnor. "I must take my leave. I found out what I needed. My father may call you to speak with him; please take the children with you. I believe he will have something to say to them too."

            Salnor nodded to Elrohir. "Good day, my lord."

            Elrohir nodded and suppressed a chuckle when the children muttered the same with their eyes darting from side-to-side as though waiting to be screamed at. He took his cloak off from the hook and fastened it around his neck. "Have a good day." He pulled the hood over his head and walked from the house and back to his own. He had much to tell his father and brother; he just hoped he had enough time.