3. Comings and Goings

Arwen was very nearly in tears as she fled through the garden, making her way around the outside of the grounds to the back of the stables. She took the servant's path that ambled through the trees leading to the river, her fists balled tightly at her sides. He was an arrogant, cruel, heartless, wretch and she would not abide him one moment longer.

Why in the world had he been so rude, scowling and grunting at her as if he had been saddled with an unruly toddler? She ducked under a willow near the bank, sinking to the ground and burying her face in her hands. Maybe her brothers were right, maybe she was infuriating. Maybe that was why she had no real friends other than Legolas. Maybe she deserved Haldir's cold angry glares.

Why did everyone treat her like a burden?

It had begun with the nightmare that had claimed her mother, a horror she still couldn't face without breaking down in grief. Elladan and Elrohir had both been comforting and many were the nights Ada had held her while she wept without complaint but when the initial shock had worn off Imladris had turned gray. Her brothers were gone more and more, and when they were home they seemed to avoid her. Ada slowly became more closed off within himself and, finally, feeling completely alone, she had told him she planned to stay in Lothlorien.

She had expected him to put up more of a struggle but he had only sighed heavily and asked if she would be happy? She had lied and said yes. He nodded in acceptance, telling her that she was grown and free to make her own choices. Feeling utterly defeated and unwanted she had chosen her grandparents.

It was as if her happiness had gone to the Undying Lands with her mother. Arwen was trembling weather from rage at Haldir or terror at her father she couldn't say. Ada would be furious when he found out.

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"I was under the distinct impression that the pair of you were watching after your sister." Elrond said with an icy glare as he stood on the front steps. The twins whirled at his voice, sheepish grins on their faces.

"We left her in the capable hands of the Lorien March Warden." Elladan said smoothly, noticing out of the corner of his eye that the pack of maidens they had been wooing were making a hasty retreat toward the gardens. No one could clear a courtyard like their father.

"Why would Haldir be doing your duty for you?" Elrond asked, trying not to smile at their guilty looks.

"Well, you see Ada, apparently they wished to take in the garden together before the Ball." Elrohir replied uneasily "He gave his word they would not be late." Elladan nodded in agreement.

"Tell me," Elrond said with a heavy sigh "that you have not coerced your grandfather's warden into minding Arwen."

"Apparently it was at our dear sister's bidding." Elladan shrugged "I did not think you would mind her spending time with Haldir."

Elrond frowned, of course Haldir was exactly the sort of elf he would be pleased to see Arwen with. In addition to his title and the high regard both Galadriel and Celeborn held for him, he was well respected, intelligent, noble, reliable.

In a word, dull.

Just the sort of man Arwen would have no interest in. His scowl deepened and his brow furrowed. He was obviously missing a vital piece of information and it was unlikely that any of his dear children would provide it for him. He sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to let his shoulders sag in defeat.

"Where has Estel been today?" Elladan asked suddenly "I have not seen him since last night." Their foster brother could usually be found in the courtyard, his nose pasted firmly in a book when he was not on the ranges training. No sound of sword or bow came from that direction now, and Elladan wondered where he had disappeared to.

"He left early this morning to patrol the borders." Elrond said with a hint of pride. The boy worked tirelessly, Elrond had thought at first it was only to win approval but he had begun to realize that Estel's passion stemmed from his sense of duty and he admired him for it.

"What did you speak of so late last night?" Elrohir asked quizzically "It was well past midnight when I heard him go to his room." Elrond gave them an appraising look, considering his words carefully for a moment.

"The truth." he replied finally. Elladan and Elrohir looked taken aback.

"All the truth?" Elladan asked breathlessly. Elrond nodded, looking away. The twins exchanged rather panicked glances and Elrohir looked back at his father, shifting uneasily.

"Ada, he is only a boy," he said in a low voice. "why do you burden him like this?"

"He is not a boy any longer." Elrond replied with a sigh, "You did not expect me to keep the truth from him forever?" Elrohir shook his head in resignation and for once Elladan seemed speechless.

They turned at the sound of horses hooves and a dark stallion entered the gates, bearing a Ranger. The hooded figure rode high in the saddle, his strong shoulders thrown back, his cloak trailing behind him. Elrond felt a smile tug at his face as the dirty and disheveled man leapt from the saddle and threw an arm around the Elf Lord.

"Ada!" he greeted with a warm grin, his hood falling back to reveal his unruly mop of dark hair.

"Estel." Elrond smiled, shaking his head. His foster son was covered in dirt from head to toe and there were distinct traces of battle on his clothing. He looked as if he had been in the wilderness for months rather than only a few hours at the borders.

"You look wretched." Elladan said shaking his head. "Do not tell the maidens you are my brother! However do you get so filthy?" He gave the human a rough hug as Elrohir flung an arm around his shoulders. "You smell like an orc." the younger twin wrinkled his nose. "you should bathe more than once a year." Elrond smiled at his sons, a desperate pang shooting through his heart.

You would be so proud, Elros, he thought shaking his head sadly at the memory of his brother. For a moment he could almost imagine his twin were alive again. Estel was so much like him, as had been all of his brothers descendants. He had watched them born and grow old and pass into the halls of Mandos to rejoin his beloved brother. He had loved them all, these the human members of his family, but none as much as Estel.

"I am sure Ada is pleased to have his favorite son home in time for the ball." Elladan said happily, ruffling Estel's filthy hair.

"Why, where have you been?" he asked with his most innocent expression. Elrohir hooted with laughter as Elrond tried to stifle a grin and Elladan punched the young human in the arm with a scowl.

"You have been tormenting the boy since he could walk." the Elf Lord said forcing a frown "Do you not think he has had quite enough?"

"Father I'm shocked!" Elladan said in mock horror, laughing as Estel tried to squirm out of his choke hold. Elrohir nodded in agreement

"We have only just begun our torment." he added folding his arms over his chest.

"I can't breath!" Estel hissed, clawing at his brother's arm.

"Oh, let him go!" Elrond sighed, rolling his eyes. As soon as Elladan loosened his grip the young human gave him a rough shove, sending him sprawling in the dirt, soon all three brothers were rolling around in a mangled pile laughing and shoving.

Elrond shook his head, trying not to smile as he considered, just once, joining them, remembering two other twins who had tussled just as fiercely so many ages ago.

"Get up!" he barked. All three were on their feet in seconds. Estel had a fine black eye forming but the twins were decidedly worse off. Elladan had a swollen lip and Elrohir was sporting a bloody nose. All three were grinning like idiots and it was all Elrond could do to keep from laughing. He had so hoped Estel at least would grow up to be respectable, it seemed he had failed as miserably with him as he had with his own children.

"I should be most pleased to see you at the ball in one hour... without your newly earned war trophies, if you don't mind." he said sternly. All three nodded sheepishly and headed up the steps.

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"Oh they are lovely aren't they?" a slender hand parted the bushes slightly and three sets of eyes peered through the gap into the courtyard. Two had radiant golden hair and the third a head of silken black. All three considered the twins with appreciative expressions as they spoke with their father.

"Meril, I do not think the sons of Lord Elrond can quite be called lovely." the raven headed elleth giggled as she leaned closer to her companions for a better look.

"And why not, Indelin?" the bold blond replied. She glanced at the second golden headed beauty on her other side who was watching the twins with the look of a lioness stalking her prey. "What do you think, Eirien?"

"I think you had better hold me back before I do something entirely unladylike." she said with a wolfish grin, leaning closer to the hedge as if she were about to pounce.

"I see no reason why you should have to throw yourself at Elrohir." Meril said practically, wrinkling her pert nose in distaste. "He seems quite taken with you already."

"Which would be fine except I am not interested in Elrohir." Eirien answered irritably, her eyes narrowing as she considered the unsuspecting elves.

"You are wasting your time with Elladan." Meril snorted "He has no interest in being tied down. Besides, they are twins, what difference does it make?"

"Really!" Eirien huffed, rolling her eyes. "They are completely different!"

"They look the same to me." Indelin shrugged passively. Of course as the youngest and least experienced her opinion didn't count for much.

"Trust me," Eirien replied with a superior tone "Elladan is the finer warrior, the more sophisticated, not to mention the oldest son and heir." the other girls exchanged annoyed glances.

"And what difference does that make when he is lying on top of you?" Meril asked with a wicked grin. Indelin clapped a delicate hand over her mouth in shock as Eirien's face turned a brilliant red.

"I suppose you want him for yourself." she demanded, trying to muster what little was left of her composure.

"Hardly," Meril replied drily, the corner of her mouth curling only slightly. "I have my sites set on a certain stunning princeling."

"Meril, dear, you must be mad!" Indelin nearly laughed, she lowered her voice, leaning closer to the other two. "Prince Legolas is simply unattainable, all the older elleths say so. He is a brutal warrior and a confirmed bachelor, you might as well pursue one of the Valar."

"I know!" Meril said, undaunted, "Isn't he scrumptious?" Eirien shook her head with a cringe, Meril was aiming far to high this time.

"Well what poor lonely elf do you intend to bend to your will, Indelin?" Eirien giggled.

"Me?"

"Of course you." Meril replied, shaking her blond curls "You cannot dance by yourself."

"I do not know." she answered uneasily "I hadn't given it any thought." her friends looked at her in mild annoyance. She knew she was beautiful of course, all elves were, but she had always felt that surrounded by so much beauty a reasonable elf must want something more than just a pretty face. What that might be she had no idea and she sincerely doubted that she possessed it.

"Well, one of the Lorien wardens perhaps." Meril said practically, she parted the hedge a little further to reveal Rumil and Orophin in a sheltered corner of the courtyard, consuming a massive quantity of spring wine.

"Oh, them?" Indelin asked with a terrified expression. There were only a few of the Lothlorien elves visiting with the Lord and Lady but they were, without exception, truly spectacular.

"What is wrong with them?" Eirien asked, "It is time you had a little romance Indelin. If you do not make yourself noticed you can never expect to wed."

"Males are incredibly thick." Meril sighed. "Some of them wander blindly along for millennia before they realize how badly they need a wife." Indelin stared through the bush with a petrified expression.

"Can I not just wait to meet my soul mate?" Indelin cringed, twisting the hem of her sleeve uneasily.

"What," Eirien asked with snort "do you expect him to simply knock on your door and announce that he would like to wed you?"

"Indelin, you can not hide forever." Meril insisted. "Think of it as practice!"

"What if I make a fool of myself?"

"That, my dear, is the very best part." Meril grinned. "For they shall all be gone in a few days. In a hundred years or so, they will have forgotten all about you."

"Leaving me ample opportunity to embarrass myself again." Indelin sighed dejectedly.

"Well pick one!" Eirien said impatiently, "We cannot help you win one if you will not make up your mind."

"Orophin." Indelin concluded, of the two he seamed the least intimidating and he had actually smiled at her in the corridor earlier. All three elleths peered through the hedge at the unsuspecting elves, an evil grin crossing Meril's face.

"Let the games begin." she giggled.