Wow, I've been on ff.net for almost a whole year now! 26th July is my anniversary, and it just happens to be a Monday! So I MIGHT put up more than 1 chapter on my stories. We'll see…

And I have to say…I am quite proud of MOST of my stories. The first few were a bit…hmm, well…

Ok, thanks for all your reviews, and replies are below.

Lainfaer.

A Critic – I hope you got my e-mail. Cos I meant what I said. Flugo is Elvish, for Swallow, the bird. So next time you decide to 'criticise' the name sin my stories, check them out first, ok?

Rayame325 – Brother horses for brothers! Makes perfect sense to me! Glad you liked the sound of the new story, Runaways. Please go read! Thanks for reviewing.

Elerrina – Yup, Celebrían does eventually go to the Grey Havens. Read on to see if this is what happens in my story. Thanks for reviewing.

Chapter 5: Ideas and Plans.

"I've got a great idea! Write to Legolas, and arrange to meet him in the Pass. We haven't seen him for years."

"If he's home yet. He's been travelling, remember."

"He must be home by now. He wouldn't leave Celeblaith too long."

"True." Elladan stared thoughtfully out of the window. "Go on then, write a letter."

Elladan grinned and took a piece of parchment out of his brother's bureau. Dipping a quill in a pot of ink, he wrote:

Dear Legolas,

Amil and Arwen are travelling to Lothlórien for a while to visit Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. We are going to join them to the entrance of the Pass.

Why don't we meet up there? It's about time you visited us again, and bring Celeblaith with you. Dolenmíl is dying to see you all. She won't stop moaning in fact!

So, how about it? Reply quickly because they are leaving in just over a week's time. Thanks.

Elrohir.

"How's that?" he asked, passing it to Elladan.

"Fine. I'll call Vaiva." He leant out the window, and whistled sharply two times.

Moments later, Vaiva arrived, landing neatly on Elladan's' outstretched arm. Vaiva was a kestrel, trained by the twins to send and receive messages for them. Elladan tied the letter carefully to his leg. "Anta-hé Legolas-nna. Víle-tece ilya orme." (Give this to Legolas. Fly with all haste.)

The bird nipped the end of Elladan's' finger gently in understanding, and took off again, flying as quickly as possible towards Mirkwood.

"He'll get it in about two days I'd say," Elladan told his brother, sitting on the windowsill.

"Probably. Depends on the weather."

"Vaiva's the best bird we've got. He can fly through anything."

"I hope you're right," Elrohir said.

Elladan was right. It took Vaiva just two days to reach his destination. However, when he arrived, Legolas was not yet back. So he waited patiently on the end of Legolas' bed, perched on the post.

He would wait until Legolas got home.

"Do you think Legolas will definitely be allowed to stay then?"
"I hope so. And Celeblaith too."

"I would love to see her again. We get on so well." Dolenmíl sipped her wine. "How long will they stay for, if they do indeed decide to visit?"

"No idea. However long he wants to stay," Elrohir replied.

It was late evening, and the twins, along with their parents, Arwen, and Dolenmíl, were dining together in the banqueting hall. They were talking of Celebríans' and Arwen's' upcoming trip to Lothlórien, and also of Legolas' possible visit.

"It would be nice to see Legolas again," Arwen said. "It has been 500 years after all."

"The time has just flown by," Celebrían agreed.

"How was he, after the business with the Dagnir-o Lóre?" Elrond asked his sons.

"According to his letters he was fine. Bit tired when he got home, but that was understandable," Elladan answered.

"He must have been exhausted. Not just tired, actually exhausted," Elrohir said. "Didn't you notice in his first few letters Dan? The language seemed rather…drained. As if he was tired when writing it."

"I know what you mean," Elladan agreed. "Normally, his letters seem…alive, bubbly, full of things that had been happening. But for a while, just after he got back to Mirkwood, they contained no events that had happened in Mirkwood, they were dull and dreary really."

"His mind may have just been elsewhere," Celebrían told them. "I expect when he got back home, he had a lot to attend to. They had to elect a new Captain after all." She looked at Dolenmíl. "Do you know who they chose in the end Dolenmíl?"

"I was offered the place, but turned it down. It was probably someone like Sigil, or maybe even Rédethuil, if he was lucky."

"Most likely Sigil. From what I've heard, he's very good at guarding the borders," Elrohir opted. "Always alert, and knows what he's doing."

"Yes, he was good." Dolenmíl went quiet for a few moments.

"I still think you should have taken it," Elrohir told her, sipping some wine.

"No. I have enough to do here. And Captain…its a bit too much responsibility for me."

"Nonsense," Elrond disagreed. "You would have been perfectly capable of keeping all those Elves in order. I've seen you when you have been in charge. You do it very well."

A faint blush rose to Dolenmíls' cheeks. "Thank you my Lord. But I am sure Sigil, or whoever was selected, is doing a perfectly ok job without me."

"Whatever you say," Elrond said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Now, if you don't mind, I am retiring for the night. If anybody needs me, I shall be in my study." He smiled and left the table.

"What's wrong with Adar?" Arwen asked in a hushed voice. "He's normally one of the last to leave."

"Nothing's wrong with him dear. He just has a lot of work on at the moment," Celebrían replied, reassuring her daughter.

"Not too much I hope," Elladan asked, concern furrowing his brow.

"Nothing he can't handle. Don't worry about him. Being Lord of a realm demands such attention as this to work. It's mostly paperwork, letters to reply to, and forms to fill out."

"All that tedious, boring work," Elrohir said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Glad I'm not the one in charge."

"So are we. Everyone knows what will happen if we put you in charge of Rivendell for just a week. A day even," Arwen teased her brother.

Elrohir scowled at her. "I am sure I could manage a week. Any more than that…its bye, bye organised, clean Rivendell, hello messy, uncontrollable Rivendell."

They all laughed. "I am sure with Dan's help you would do just fine," his mother reassured him. "Mind you, if we had both of you in charge, the chaos and mayhem may erupt twice as fast as with just one of you."

The twins nodded. "Probably," they replied in unison.

"Legolas however…" Arwen started, "would be great at ruling a realm. He could keep control of everything, and keep up-to-date with all the paperwork."

"Well, he is older than us," Elladan argued.

"Not by much though. What, 50 years at the most?"

"It's still 50 years more experience than we've had."

"But there are two of you, and only one of him."

"What difference would that make?"

"Well, if you both had wives, there would be four of you to keep Rivendell in check. However, if Legolas was married, there would only be two to keep Mirkwood under control. The two of you could help each other out, as could your wives, whereas Legolas would be on his own."

"Right," Elladan replied, slowly, trying to figure that out.

"He has Celeblaith," Elrohir pointed out.

"And you have Arwen," Celebrían counted. "Your sister's right you know. Legolas would be miles better than you two at ruling."

The twins' mouths gaped open. "This is insulting!" Elladan said. "Come Elrohir, we do not have to stand for this…offensiveness. Let us away and plan how we would rule Rivendell in our way!" They stood up, bowed roughly, then stormed out, heads held high in mock defence.

The three ladies left at the table laughed. "Boys…" Celebrían muttered.

"Twins…" agreed Arwen.

"The male population…" Dolenmíl finished. They all laughed again.

"How do you feel about Legolas visiting, Dolenmíl?" Celebrían asked softly.

Dolenmíl shrugged. "I'm alright with it. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering."

"You think I wouldn't like it?"

"Well, after what happened on your way from Mirkwood…" Arwen left the sentence hanging.

"Oh that!" Dolenmíl laughed. "The kiss you mean? That was forgotten about ages ago. We both agreed it was just a friendship kiss that went a tiny bit too far. It was all sorted within the week. I have no problem with him visiting. I am looking forward to seeing him and Celeblaith again; I meant that. I haven't seen them both for so long."

"As long as you're sure," Celebrían continued. "I don't want any arguments or upsets, especially if Arwen and I are not going to be here to cool things down."

"Nothing is going to happen, I promise you! Please, stop fretting over it. Legolas and I are just good friends, that is all."

"Nothing more?" Arwen asked.

"No. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, can we please get off the subject of me and Legolas having some sort of sordid affair?"

Celebrían and Arwen laughed. "I have to admit, it would be quite amusing," Arwen said, smiling. "Imagine what Elrohir would do to you, let alone Legolas!"

"Ooh, I'm getting painful images now," Dolenmíl winced.

"Remember, Elrohir is very good with his knives," Celebrían reminded them. "Just be careful."

They talked for a short while longer, then each went to their own room. Elrohir was waiting for Dolenmíl when she arrived. She smiled at him as she entered, and walked over to him to be enveloped in a huge embrace. "What do you women find to talk about for so long?" he asked between kisses.

"Trust me, us ladies could talk for hours on end about nothing in particular," she answered. She grinned up at him. "It was a good job you left. You and Dan would have found it incredibly boring."

"Oh, I see. Female conversations?"
"Definitely. You really do not want to know what we talk about when we get together."

"No, I doubt I do." They kissed again, then settled down for the night.

"Tomorrow then?"

"If you wish Thral. Though I really do not see the point in you trying to get him back. He is completely infatuated with Dolenmíl. Sorry to sound so harsh, but he would never give her up for you."
"I know. But I just want to have a bit of fun." Thrálindë grinned in the flickering candlelight. She and Torfithien were in Thralind's' room, discussing their plans for the next day.

"So, you'll dine in the main hall with us, then corner him afterwards during the dancing?" Torfithien asked.

"Yes. I won't do anything to him; I just want to talk. Find out what he thinks of me."

"You'll be lucky to get past Elladan."

"They are not glued at the hip. I'll get to him, don't you worry."

"If you say so."

"I do say so. Are you going to help me with this or not? You're sounding as if you don't agree with what I'm planning on doing."

"Well I don't, not really. Thral, there really is no point. What's it going to achieve? It'll probably drive you and Elrohir further apart if anything. And if you say the wrong thing, or do something wrong, Elladan will have you banished. You don't seriously want that do you?"

"Of course not. But I have to talk to him."

"Then just find him during the day or something. Not at the dance where everyone will see."

"They won't see because I won't make it obvious. I'll just have a casual conversation with him, as if we were just old friends meeting up and having a chat. And he will listen to what I have to say. And if he asks why I am back, I'll tell him the truth. One: To see my friends and family again, Two: to talk to him. It'll be a piece of cake."

"You're sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. No, go and get some sleep. I want you to extra vigilant tomorrow, in case I need you."

"What for?"

"In case Elladan tries anything."
"Thral, he won't hit you. He's not that stupid. The most he can do is drag you out by your ear."

"And I'll need your help if does do that. I have sensitive ears! Right, good night."

"Good night." Torfithien stood and walked to the door. She paused as she opened it. "Please Thral, just be careful with what you say and do. I don't want you banished."

"I will not be banished," Thrálindë reassured her.

"Everything will go smoothly, I promise."

Plans, plans, plans. Any problems with the chapter, any questions about it? Tell me in a review!

Lainfaer