AN: Just a little chapter. Hope you don't mind too much.

Someone, after reading this story commented that I tend to jump around a lot. I'm not going to apologise for this, it's my writing style. If a character is upset or under stress, their thoughts do not follow a straightforward linear path. -shrugs- sorry to any one who doesn't like it, but it aint gonna change.

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The elven peoples of middle earth above all treasure the beauty of the world around them and the skills wielded by its many peoples. They prefer to appear aloof as it offers them some defence against the harsher aspects of existence, but they love and desire and mourn as any other. When amongst their own, great celebrations of another day passing are not unusual, but any human, dwarf or other being of middle earth to come across such an event would find it gone before they had seen more than a glimpse of the goings-on. Rivendell, the Last Homely House, was hidden deep within middle earth and was a place of peace and quiet contemplation.

This is why, when one morn Elrond - Lord of Rivendell - came across his two twin sons brawling like drunken men, he was taken aback for a moment.

"ELROHIR, ELLADAN!" At the roar of their names Elrohir and Elladan dragged themselves apart with shocked expressions on their faces, panting heavily at the exertion of wrestling against their perfectly matched opposite. Elrond watched them for a moment - an experience more daunting for the twins than the shout that had come before - and then began his tirade.

"We are elves." He started quietly, a technique that any parent will tell you is terribly effective in gaining young ones' attention. "We practice poise and are demure, elegant. We are quiet and studious." He was beginning to go red in the face as his voice rose to crescendo. "We DO NOT BRAWL." His voice dropped again. "You will tell me what this was about, and if you cannot provide a sufficient answer, you will be banned from the stables, the armoury and the practice arena. If you lie to me, I will lock you in your rooms and believe that I will do this, no matter how old you are now, for I would treasure the peace and quiet." The twins exchanged shocked glances, these were serious threats.

"Elladan has stolen Legolas from me out of spite." Elrohir spat at his brother.

"He lies, father. He has stolen Legolas from ME out of jealousy!" Elladan returned, looking about ready to start the fight again. Elrond chuckled to himself. A most unexpected reaction, considering the circumstances. Both twins stopped glaring at each other and turned their shocked gazes to their father.

"Ada? You think this is funny!?"

"You have discovered this deception, and yet neither of you have thought to confront Legolas with this?"

"We have been... occupied."

"Aye, with muddying the reputation of elves no doubt. Come, sit with me, let me explain this situation to you before you do each other harm."

"Explain... so you knew this was going on?"

"I have to confess to being a conspirator in it all. We are an interfering culture, elves; it is something I missed from my earlier list." Elrond took a seat on the stone bench in the courtyard where he had found the twins. The twins settled at his knees, so that they could look up at him as he talked. "When Legolas first come to Rivendell - given the task by his father of perfecting his Sindarin - he was curious of many things. His Sindarin at the time was coarse and so heavily accented I thought I would never succeed in understanding him, let alone helping him speak it properly. He came to me with a question many times, trying to phrase it delicately in a tongue of which his grasp was feeble to say the least. In fact I seem to remember that he gave up in the end and put the question to Glorfindel who - and he never fails to astound me - knows the Silvan language faultlessly.

"The question, father, please? You take hours to tell something that might only take a moment to say."

"He asked if the two of you were involved."

"He asked if both of us were betrothed, even back then? Brother, I fear I have done you an injustice."

"No, you misunderstand. He wished to know if you were involved with each other. When Glorfindel said no, I am told he said that this was a shame and that he would make an attempt to rectify it." There was a stunned pause from the twins as they looked at each other.

"So he would have both of us would he?! Damned arrogant princeling isn't satisfied with one of the sons of Elrond, he must have both as his prize."

"It wasn't like that." The Silvan accent may have been softened over time under Elrond's expert tutelage, but there was no mistaking that voice. They turned to find the blond leaning up against a tree behind them.

"What was it like then, ernil?" Legolas flinched at the sneering tone.

"At first I had planned to put it to you like adults. But it soon became obvious that neither of you could be talked to, so I planned to bring you together and then step back so that you would see what was under your noses. Although now it seems I have not been quick enough and my plan has backfired."

"Maybe not." Elrond put in. "For now they both have a grudge against you, but are united. We just need to find an excuse to lock them in a room together." The twins gaped at their father, plotting their future as if they weren't sat before him.

"Ada!" They chorused.

"Besides, I could never hate Legolas." Elladan put in, glaring at his brother.

"And what makes you think we even want to be together?" Elrohir followed.

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Sat in the small courtyard that adjoined to his private rooms, Lord Elrond contemplated the confused relationship of his sons and their paramour; a piece of parchment hanging loosely from his fingertips. It had not taken Legolas long to convince the brothers of the depth of their love for each other, and of the potential of their love. But somehow, despite the realisation that the love between the brothers was more than either of them could have thought, it was also more than that. Accidentally, the Mirkwood elf had wound himself into their love too tightly for him to be able to simply move away as he had intended. For he too had fallen in love, and the twins would not be parted from him. Though his position necessitated prolonged visits home for the more important ceremonies and events of his culture, he spent as much time as he could in Rivendell.

At first the Rivendell Lord had objected to this arrangement, thinking it unwise for such a binding of souls. He had found it impossible to separate them, though. Legolas' visits became more frequent under the guise of alliance negotiations, and too often he found himself sending his sons on the return journeys, simply because they were so mournful when separated from their third. He knew that all three would be forced to go to war and risk their lives in the not so distant future, though his foresight allowed him no indication of how they would fare. He had only prayed that all three would be able to walk out of the other side, else the lives of the other two would quickly fall into shadow.

And now, with this letter in his hands... he looked back down at the parchment, that had arrived only hours before. The note was written in Elladan's hand, though not as neat as he might have expected of his son, as though his hand were shaking as he wrote. The page bore few words, but the meaning was easy to see.

It read 'Legolas has fallen. We go to war, wish us luck.' They were not coming back, this he knew in his heart. They were going to their deaths, to join their love in Mandos' halls. Silently, he wept for his children, and his brother-children, whose lives had been so darkened by Sauron and the coming of the one ring.

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Split Persona : Thanks Sooooooooo much for being my first reviewer(s). Had to wonder if I'd done something wrong when no one reviewed the first chapter... :s It's all good though. Hope this chapter isn't too short for you!

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Laebeth : I can't promise ANYTHING! (without giving away the storyline) Only there isn't going to be much arrygorn until later. Sowee.