Author's Note: Okay, this note actually has a point. Well, kind of. Anyways, this is un-beta-ed but you guys are probably used to that by now. The exciting part, however, is that my beta should be done with it soon. Then, I will repost the first four chapters with her corrections and with all of the corrections my wonderful reviewers have left me. Thank you all for reviewing.

Okay, the second and more important part of this little note. I realized after rereading this that it can sound a little confusing with how Estel refers to the twins. So I shall explain since my grammar is not as bad as it sounds at parts. Estel refers to Elrohir as El, Elladan as El, and both twins at once as El, which is also how I tend to refer to them when talking to my beta and seeing how confused she can get I figured I would tell you guys before you started reading. If it is too confusing, please let me know and I will change it accordingly to make it clearer.

Finally(I know this is getting long but I have one more thing to say), I know that Estel's mother died when he was nine. However, I can not seem to write a suitable character for her so I killed her off with Arathorn. That said, she would have died when Estel was two meaning that he will have no memories of her. However, he could, and does in this story, still feel her loss and be saddened by it. It would not always be a conscious thought, but it could sneak up on him at times. Believe me, I know this from first hand experience.

9 YEARS LATER

"El," Estel said running into the library at full speed. "Whatcha doing?"

Elrohir looked up from his book just in time to catch the vase Estel hit when jumping onto the couch. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You don't have to teach lessons today?" Elrohir and Elladan had recently taken over some of the younger elflings classes since they were in Imladris for longer periods of time then they had been in past years. They never seemed to be able to stay away for long since Estel came into the picture.

"No, I don't. Erestor took over them for the week. El and I needed a rest."

"Oh," Estel sounded slightly disheartened.

"Why? What did you want?"

"To go hunting or something. Get away for like a week." The idea sounded appealing to Elrohir; he wanted to get away and taking Estel hunting would be perfect. He missed the tone that Estel used which generally meant that there was something more to what he was saying.

"Let's go find El then." Estel dragged Elrohir away from the library before he could reshelf the book he was reading. Elrohir promised himself to come back and take care of the book before some poor, unfortunate soul had to do it for him. He never forgot how bad his punishment was the one time he had to do it.

"El!" Estel went running through the halls yelling for Elladan. He flew into his room to discover Elladan was not there. He went running from the room and down the hall to his Ada's study. "El!" He yelled again as he flew into the study and collided with Elrond.

"Estel," Elrond said stilling the boy so that he didn't fall. "Why are you running through the house?" Elrond looked questioningly at Estel before raising his glance as Elrohir entered the room.

"I was looking for El."

"I believe he is right behind you."

"Not El, Ada, El." Elrond barely stopped himself from shaking his head as Estel looked at him in disbelief. Elrond had gotten used to the twins being referred to with the same name and generally knew who Estel was talking about although he rarely used either twins' whole name. "Do you know where he is?"

"I believe he is sparring with Glorfindel."

"Thanks, Ada." Estel flew out of the room.

"Estel, stop running in the house." Elrond called after his youngest son. Elrohir looked apologetically at his Ada before turning from the room and running after Estel. "Elrohir, stop running." Elrond called after his middle son. He was wondering where Elladan was to complete his yelling tirade. Things generally happened in threes around Imladris.

Estel ran to the training field without yelling. He knew better then to yell around there. Distraction and swords do not generally mix. Elrohir caught up to Estel as he dropped to the ground and watched the rest of Elladan's and Glorfindel's match. It ended rather quickly after Estel and Elrohir arrived. The match had been going on for about a half hour and both Elladan and Glorfindel were tired.

"Estel, El," Elladan said dropping down onto the grass next to them. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we go hunting?" Estel asked pleadingly.

"Sure. When do you want to leave?"

"Now."

"Well, do you think I can change and grab my bow first?"

"Sure. And we have to get food and cloaks and other supplies."

"How long do you plan on us being gone for?"

"A week."

"Any particular reason why a week"

"Nope." Estel was again using the tone of voice which hinted at a deeper meaning, and this time Elrohir did not miss it, but he didn't broach the subject yet.

"Well, then I guess we should go ask Ada." Elrohir said instead. Estel jumped up and was about to start running again but Elladan and Elrohir grabbed him. "Don't run. You heard what Ada said." Estel and Elrohir walked calmly(at least faking-ly calm) through the house to Elrond's study, while Elladan went to clean up and pack supplies.

"Ada," Estel said quietly knocking on the door.

"Come in, Estel. What do you need?" Elrond asked moving from his desk to sit on the couch with his sons.

"Can we go hunting?" Estel asked excitedly.

"Who is we?"

"Me and El."

"And when are you leaving?"

"As soon as El changes and packs supplies, and we grab our bows. I don't have any lessons for the next week. Well, at least no lessons that El don't already teach me."

"You're going to be gone all week?"

"Yeeaaaahhhh…" Estel looked down. He knew his Ada would probably catch the hidden meaning.

"You know that you have your graduation ceremony at the end of the week. You can't miss that."

"Why not? El always do."

"Yes, they do, but they did not miss their own. They only seem to miss the others they are expected to attend."

"They're boring." Elrohir cut in and Elrond shot him what can only be describe as an 'Elrond look.' This one meant that if you know what is best for you, you will shut up and listen to me right now. "Sorry, Ada."

"Estel, you and your brothers may go hunting, but you must be back in two days."

Estel walked dejectedly from the room, mumbling something which sounded like 'if I have to be back for the stupid ceremony, then I don't want to go at all.' After a few words with Elrond, Elrohir walked out of the room and searched for Estel.

Elrohir found Estel in the most unlikely of places: his room. "Hey, Estel. El's ready to leave. We just have to let him know that we have to be back early."

"I don't want to go."

"Why not?"

"Because I still have to go to the stupid ceremony. I don't want to."

"And why not?"

"'Cause I don't."

"I bet there's more to it then that." Estel shook his head. "Talk to me, Dilthenor. What's the problem?"

"It's a stupid ceremony."

"No, it's not. It's important. It tells everyone that you have gained enough skill and knowledge to be considered for warrior training."

"It's still stupid."

"You should be proud of yourself. You did it in less than half the time of the elflings." The class graduating was relative to Estel's age, but as they aged slower they had more time to gain the necessary points to pass. Estel had worked overtime to keep up and pass up the elflings.

"Doesn't matter."

"What's the real reason you don't want to go?"

"I want to go hunting with just you and El. You guys are gone so much." Estel didn't meet Elrohir's eyes when he spoke.

"We've been home a lot lately. What is the real reason, Dilthenor?" Elrohir had a pretty good idea of what it could be, but he wanted Estel to confirm his thoughts.

"Stop calling me that. I'm not little anymore." Estel turned to walk from his room, but Elrohir caught his arm and turned him to face him once more. "I just don't want to go to it." Elrohir said nothing, but his look told Estel to keep talking. Estel stayed silent for a long time testing his muindor's will and patience. "Fine." Estel pulled out of Elrohir's grasp and walked over and sat on the window looking outside. "I'm going to be out of place. I always have been." Elrohir knew that Estel was probably thinking about Elenaen. Elenaen was the elf that had made Estel run away years ago. He spoke a few harsh comments, which Estel had overheard.

"No you're not. You are a son of Lord Elrond and therefore a Lord of this house. Everyone accepts you as such even Elenaen does now." The twins had made sure of that. Elenaen had suffered their wrath, in the form of loud screaming, some choice duties (i.e. long border patrols and other hated assignments), and one fight. Elrond had been quick to intercede and punished Elladan accordingly.

Elrohir followed Estel over to the window and placing a hand on his shoulder. 'I remember when he was young,' Elrohir thought. 'It was so easy. Just pull him into your arms and all his problems seemed to fade away. He insists he's to old for that now. I wish he wasn't. Humans grow up too fast.'

"Not what I was talking about." Estel didn't go any further.

"Well, since I seem to have jumped to the wrong conclusions, enlighten me. What's the problem?"

"I'm going to have no one to stand up there with me. Everyone else will. I have no Naneth." Tears were threatening in Estel's eyes now, so Elrohir wrapped his arms around the boy and was slightly surprised when Estel didn't protest. Estel didn't remember his mother well, but he still remembered bits and pieces, and he, also, knew that there was a gap in his family. It didn't often hurt or threaten to make him cry, but today it all seemed to build up to much because of the ceremony and the expected role of mothers. It made him remember all to much what he was missing.

"Estel," Elrohir said quietly. "Not just mothers stand up with their sons. Fathers are allowed to, too."

"I know." Estel dried the tears in his eyes quickly feeling slightly ashamed that he had allowed him self to cry, while Elrohir pushed any memory of Celebrian far from his memory. That was the last thing he needed to be thinking about right now. "But Ada has to speak through the whole thing and give everyone their new sheaths." The sheaths, until an elf was a warrior, depicted what part of training they were in. During the ceremony, each elfling would give their sheath to Lord Elrond and he would give them their new ones. "I'm going to have to stand up their alone." Elflings parents were present to recognize that their children have grown up; they, by their presence, give their consent and show that they believe their children are ready.

"No, you're not." Elladan said from his spot in the doorway. He had heard the last part of the conversation, but did not see the need to make his presence known before now. Estel and Elrohir turned away from the outside view to see Elladan walking towards them and sitting on Estel's bed. Estel jumped off the window and sat on the bed next to Elladan, while Elrohir took a seat on the floor facing them.

"How am I not? There is no one. Ada can't and…" Estel left it at that. He knew both twins knew his thoughts.

"Are you forgetting that you have two brothers?"

"No, but I thought it has to be parents, and you have to stand with your classes or your companies. Don't you?"

"We haven't been to one of these in…." There was a long pause while both twins tried to think of the last time they actually attended the ceremony. "I can't remember the last time we actually went to one."

"I think it was our own."

"No, we've been to one after that, haven't we?"

"I don't think so El."

"Why would they miss us now?"

"I think they learned how to deal without us in our official roles years ago." The twins actually were suppose to be in three places at once during the ceremony, but they always seemed to 'mysteriously disappear' during it. Generally, they were hunting, visiting Lothlorien, or riding with the Rangers.

"But doesn't it have to be parents?"

"I think we can stretch the rules a little bit."

"I'm sure Ada will let us."

"Now, are you ready to leave? We already lost enough hunting time today."

"Yeah, let's go." Estel grabbed his bow and pack and went running out the door with the twins chasing after him.

Elrond looked out from the window in his study to see the three racing to the stables. Elrohir was in the lead, and as he could groom his horse quickest, he would probably win the race. Elrond had heard his sons conversation and thought the twins solution to be the perfect solution. He heard mock arguments and laughter floating up from the stables.

Lord Elrond laughed slightly as Estel called Elladan his mother. Elrohir was more than happy to join in the teasing, and soon Elladan had abandoned his grooming and was chasing after Estel. Eventually, Elladan caught Estel and tossed him in the water trough. Elrond laughed again as a knock on the door caused him to focus his attention elsewhere. Everything seemed to be back to normal in Imladris; well as normal as could be expected with the twins and Estel loose.

To Be Continued

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