The winter's frost glazed the ground and river, freezing the water into a mirror. The pounding hooves echoed through the courtyard as the magnificent creatures skidded to a halt. A young form skidded outside to greet the twins. 'Hello little brother,' Elrohir grinned as both the twins dismounted simultaneously and landed, gently crunching the frost laid out beneath their feet.

Elladan just cast a dark glance over their home before stalking inside.

'What's up with him?' Estel asked, 'he seems to be brooding…'

'It is Elladan,' Elrohir reminded with a cheeky grin, catching a dark glare from his twin.

'No I mean more than normal.'

'I don't know, just ignore him, I normally do.' There was a short pause as they walked back into the building. 'So what have you been doing then?'

'Nothing really, Legolas is here again…'

'Really?' Elrohir seemed to enliven at the mention of their friend.

'Yeah but he's talking with Ada at the moment, don't know how long he'll be but…' he trailed off as they saw the two emerge from Elrond's study.

'Legolas, good to see you again Mellon nîn,' Elrohir grinned.

'Yes, it has been a while.' Legolas agreed.

'Good to see you home safe my son,' Elrond smiled, 'where is…' he didn't finish when Elladan stalked up to the group.

'Legolas, atar,' he said shortly.

'How was the trip?' Elrond ventured.

'It went well, but there may be more around the borders I fear for we were unable to kill them all,' Elladan reported glaring at his twin.

'There was no point, they would've probably headed back to a larger camp where there would have been even more Orcs…' Elrohir started – again.

'Exactly…we could have been rid of them…'

'Not if we were outnumbered they would have taken us alive and…' he shuddered at the thought of Orcs torturing them as they had done their mother and foster sister.

'Fine,' the elder twin snapped stalking off into the training yard to let off some steam.

Elladan went to collect the many arrows that were tightly stuck into the large target and he was struggling with one in particular as Estel joined him. 'Dan, have you seen my…' he trailed off as his bow was propped up against a wall, the elf turned to face him.

'You just say something Estel?'

'NO, it doesn't matter,' he said quickly slinging the bow over his shoulder.

'You are going out?' Elladan dropped his arrows.

'Yes, I am going hunting with Legolas…'

'Since when?'

'Since he asked me earlier.'

'No…'

'What…'

'You are not going out hunting…not with orcs around the borders…'

'But Elladan…'

'No buts Estel, you are staying here and that's final…'

'You can't tell me what to do…'

'I am your older brother of course I can…'

'Not really.'

'What?' Elladan growled, a dangerous fire in his eyes.

'You are not my brother…not really…' that did it. Elladan backhanded him and grabbed the young human's collar and not too gently pinned him against a hard wall, causing his head to hit the surface hard.

'Why you stupid, selfish, ungrateful little brat,' he growled between his teeth, hitting him against the wall, 'how dare you say that I'm not your brother, after all we have done for you, we kept you here, looked after you, raised you and now you disown us…'

'I-I-I-I didn't mean it like that…' he stammered. He had never really been afraid of Elladan, true he was moody but never like this, and now he was truly afraid.

'Then how did you mean it?' he yelled.

'I-I-I-I-I-I-I…' he began shaking.

'Tell me,' he yelled shoving the Human harder.

'Get off me.'

'Or what?'

'Please, just let me go.'

'Not until you answer the question…what did you mean?' he shoved again.

This time Estel kneed the Elf in his stomach and punched him, splitting his lip.

Elladan reacted to this by backhanding the Human hard, sending him crashing to the hard floor.

'Tell. Me. What. You. Meant.' He kicked his ribs hard between words.

'Is everything…' Legolas trailed off seeing Elladan looming over a frightened Estel, a trickle of blood coming from his mouth.

'I heard shouting…' Elrohir joined them looking horrified at the scene.

'Elladan, explain yourself this instant,' Elrond had a furious look on his face, it would have sent Morgoth himself running in fear, but Elladan just met his eyes, with a similar fire. 'Well, I am waiting.'

'it doesn't matter,' Elladan snapped wiping the blood from his mouth and pushed passed Elrohir and Legolas, only to be caught by Elrond.

'Get off me.' Elladan growled shoving his father away.

'Estel, are you alright?' Elrond knelt by his son.

'Yeah,' he placed a hand to his bruising cheek, 'I'll be fine.' He too stormed off.

''Anyone know what that was about?' Elrohir asked, breaking the shocked silence.

'I heard Estel mention he was going hunting with me…' Legolas ventured.

'Orcs.' Elrond stated. 'There are Orcs near the borders, Elladan probably fears Estel will get taken by Orcs, it's not like it hasn't happened before.'

'He fears Estel will have a similar fate to his father…' Legolas added.

'If not worse…' Elrohir shuddered at memories of his mother and Hîrsá.

'Go and see Estel Elrohir,' Elrond instructed, 'you can join him Legolas, and I'll try and calm Elladan down.'

'Good luck. Just call if you need any backup.' Legolas called.

'I'll hold you to that Legolas.' Elrond called back. He sighed deeply and left to find his son.

Elladan's fist met hard with the wall, punching through it, breaking the knuckles on his left hand. He swore loudly as sharp pain shot through his hand when he tried to move it. he was angry more with himself for venting his anger on his brother and damaging the strong relationship they had, as well as possibly having to face his twin and best friend over it as well.

'Elladan?' he heard his father's voice, sharp and angry. Very angry. The door pounded again.

'What?'

'We need to have a talk about that little scene earlier.'

'What's to talk about?'

'You, nearly killing your brother.'

'Look, I don't want to talk about it, so just drop it…'

'No I will not just drop it. You could have seriously injured him.'

'I'm not exactly feeling great over it myself.' He opened the door.

Elrond could see genuine regret in his son's eyes, glazed with unshed tears. 'I'm sorry father…I-I-I didn't mean it…I just don't know what came over me…'

'You are still holding past trouble close to your heart…you are not letting it go.' Elrond stated.

'I can't. I don't want to see him get hurt…'

'You cannot protect him forever…'

'I know…I just don't want to fail him like I failed mom, Hîrsá, Arathorn, Gilraen…'

'You failed no one my son…you could not prevent what happened to them…now let me look at your hand,' he pinned his son with a look that left room for no further comment. Elladan sighed and held his hand up for inspection.

'You made a good job of this my son,' Elrond commented strapping it up.

'It's nothing; I think the wall took more damage.'

'But the wall hasn't got any knuckles to break has it?' Elladan was about to make a comment but Elrohir and Legolas rushed in.

'Father…' Elrohir called skidding to a halt.

'Yes?' he did to look up as he finished bandaging the hand.

'Estel's gone.' Legolas answered.

'What?' they asked in unison.

'We have looked everywhere, even in his usual hiding places…'

'Orcs are on the borders…' Glorfindel entered the room. Elladan was at the door in a shot. 'Where are you going young one?' the blond stopped him.

'If there are Orcs on the borders and Estel is out there, it is a good chance they will kill him if they see him. And besides I need to kill something.' He added shrugging. He caught a glare from his twin. 'I'm going to go and look for him if no one else is.' He said icily, glaring at his twin and friend.

'Oh come on.' Elrohir grabbed Legolas and they went after the elder.