. In the house of Lord Elrond

Elladan's hazel eyes narrowed as he sensed a weakness in his opponent's defense. He lunged forward, intending to skewer his twin in the mid section. Elrohir however, reading his brother's move well, twirled aside at the last possible moment. Elladan was thrown off balance, but recovered quickly. Elrohir though had had enough. He threw his wooden sparring sword to the ground and held up his slim hands in surrender.

"Enough Lada!" he cried, wearily sliding down the trunk of a nearby tree to sit on the ground. Elladan laughed at his brother's use of his elfling nickname.

"I will have mercy on you this time." He declared, eagerly joining his brother on the ground. Truth be told, he was tired as well. They had been sparring for four hours without a break.

"Shouldn't Estel have returned home by now?" Elrohir enquired, resting his head sideways on his knees. He stared across at the profile so like his own, awaiting a reply.

"You know Estel, he can't help being late. It's a human thing." Elladan grinned in response, turning twinkling eyes to his twin.

As if on cue, both elves heard the pounding hoof beats of a horse rapidly approaching.

"Estel!" they both jumped up and ran toward the gates, skirting around the walls of the courtyard.

Both elves pulled the large gates open. The horse and its rider were still some distance away, but Elladan would recognize that figure anywhere.

"It is Estel." He said to his brother who stood beside him. Elrohir squinted in the evening sun.

"He carries something." He said puzzled.

"No, not something… someone." Elladan replied, suddenly serious as his sharp eyes made sense of the bundle Estel was holding tightly.

"Go tell father," he commanded his brother, "they might be seriously hurt!"

Elrohir sprinted for the house, hoping that whoever Estel carried was not gravely injured.

Elladan reached up to take the wounded one as Estel came to an abrupt halt in front of him. He dismounted in one fluid motion.

"It is an elf Elladan, I found him barely conscious in the woods not far from here." Aragorn spoke quickly as he passed the horse's reigns to a waiting elf. Together they hurried to the house. Lord Elrond followed closely by Elrohir was coming down the front steps. Sparing a smile for his youngest son, Elrond directed Elladan to the rooms reserved for the treatment of the wounded.

Elladan placed the elf on a wide bed covered with soft white sheets. He stepped back, allowing his father the room he needed. Lord Elrond deftly unwound the blanket taking in the starved appearance of the young elf.

"Elrohir boil water. Elladan fetch the cordials in the dark blue and dark green bottles on the shelf. You," he said looking up at Estel who stood hovering at the bedside, "sit down and tell me exactly what happened."

There was not much to recount, but Aragorn left out no detail no matter how minute. As he spoke Lord Elrond deftly swabbed the worst bruises and wrapped a bandage around the elf's left wrist. It was dislocated. He mixed a small amount of liquid from both bottles in a wooden bowl of hot water. Leaving the mixture to cool, he asked Estel a question.

"There was no one in the area, you are sure?"

"I did not look far, but no one came forward or attempted to attack me." Aragorn answered honestly. He watched as his father lifted the elf into a sitting position. Elrohir stepped forward and held the elf's head as his father gently poured the semi cooled liquid into his mouth. After half the amount in the bowl was swallowed, Elrond tenderly lowered the young one onto the pillows. He passed the bowl to Elrohir, who carefully covered the remainder. Elladan was standing behind Estel's chair frowning, reading the emotions that flitted across his father's face.

"What is it adar?" he asked.

"Two things." Lord Elrond said gravely, looking down into the still face of his patient. He absently pushed aside errant gold strands of hair off the elf's face. "He is clearly very exhausted. To reach this level of exhaustion, he must have run far. Because of his present physical state, I would say that he ran because he was forced to. Clearly whoever was responsible was close by when you stopped Estel."

Aragorn gave a gasp of disbelief at his own carelessness. Elladan squeezed his shoulder in a gesture of reassurance.

"Second," Lord Elrond continued, "I know this young one."

Stunned silence was quickly followed by three voices asking the same question.

"Who is he father?"

Three curious pairs of eyes stared down at the slight figure on the bed.

"He is Legolas, son of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood."

All three of his sons started asking questions one after the other. Aragorn had jumped to his feet.

"Enough!" shouted Lord Elrond, holding up his hands for silence. "He may wake soon and this noise is enough to speed his spirit to the halls of the dead!"

The two elves and the man shut their mouths in surprise, for rarely did their father loose his temper.

"Elrohir," he continued, "get me one of the elder healers." Elrohir fled immediately. He then turned to the others.

"Elladan get Estel something to eat." Before Aragorn could protest Lord Elrond continued. "Eat and refresh yourself Aragorn."

Aragorn grimaced knowing that the use of his Westron name meant his father would brook no arguments now. Turning to open the door the Lord of Imladris said in a gentler tone, "I will meet you all in my study in one hour. Then I will answer your questions."

Aragorn and Elladan left meekly enough, but as soon as they were out of earshot they began talking again.

"If this Legolas is a prince, what was he doing in the wood like that?" came the first question from Aragorn.

"I do not know. I thought him dead. He has been missing for four years. The last time I saw him he was a mere elfling! It is no wonder that I did not recognize him." Elladan replied, pushing open the door to the kitchen. Both brothers sat at the large wooden table that dominated the room.

"So how is it that father recognized him?" countered Aragorn.

"Father has been called to Mirkwood on several occasions within the last fifty years." Elladan pulled a bowl of fruit forward and passed it to Aragorn. "But as you come and go so often you would not have known…I know King Thranduil will be overjoyed that his son is alive. I have heard that he regards his children as highly as his does his treasures." Both man and elf laughed, for they knew that the King of Mirkwood was reputed to be a greedy hoarder of gold, mithril and silver. "Anyway," Elladan continued, "Legolas is his youngest and is said to be the very image of his late mother."

Aragorn nodded, he had noticed the beauty of the golden elf, notwithstanding the dirt and bruises.

"But who could have done something like this Lada?" Aragorn lapsed into easy familiarity with his older elven brother.

"Perhaps ada will tell us Estel. One hour passes swiftly enough."

But two hours later, after having heard about the orc attack on Mirkwood four years ago, neither the twins nor Aragorn had come any closer to solving the mystery of the prince's reappearance. They would all have to wait until Legolas woke up.

Notes

Adar, father

To Pie, my thanks for your advice. It was most helpful.

To Aura, I am glad that I have caused you a moment of pleasure.