Chapter 20: Flowers and fun at the palace

Billy Bob was tied up, gagged and thrown into Denethor's classroom closet, which was right beside Sam's desk. Poor Billy Bob was trapped in their, screaming for mercy (since he has a terrible fear of the dark, and closets are very dark).

Meanwhile, in the schoolyard, Elladan was picking flowers.

"'Dan, what on middle-earth are you doing?" Elrohir asked his twin who was skipping across the yard, pulling out flowers.

"Getting flowers!"

"Why?"

"For a she-elf."

"Who?"

"I'm not telling!" Elladan giggled happily as he selected a few more and ran away to find the she-elf he spoke of.

"I picked these for you, miss." Elladan blushed as he showed Legolas' sister the flowers.

"That's so... sweet of you, little one." Illiendal smiled, taking the flowers (which where mostly dandelions and other various weeds) and pat Elladan on his head.

"My name's Elladan."

"You're Elrond's son, aren't you?"

"Yup."

"You have a twin, don't you?"

"Yep, Elrohir. He's over there." Elladan pointed to where Elrohir stood.

"Well, you are a very sweet elfling Elladan." Illiendal smiled.

"Illiendal, are you coming? I have a surprise for you." Sernaer said, tapping Illiendal on her shoulder.

"Who is he?" Elladan asked.

"Oh, this? He is Sernaer, my friend. Sernaer, this is Lord Elrond's son, Elladan."

"Hello Elladan..." Sernaer smiled, and Elladan hissed at him and walked away.

"He's strange. Now come on, I have a surprise for you!"

-----

Galion smiled as he heard the elflings giggle as they rode in circles around the courtyard.

"This is fu-

Haldir screamed as he tumbled off the horse (because he had not been holding the rope that was around the horse's neck). Galion gasped, grabbed Legolas and jumped down to see how Haldir was.

"Haldir, how badly are you injured?"

"Just... a bit. My bum is sore from falling."

"Let's take you inside... We can put some ointment on your bum if you wish, but it will only help a bit." Galion said.

"No ointment please."

"Alright. Come on Legolas, you two can have a snack and if you wish, you can go swimming."

"Okay!" Legolas said, happily skipping along beside Galion.

Thranduil saw the three enter and scooped Legolas into his arms.

"You are back soon." Thranduil said, kissing Legolas on his brow.

"Haldir fell off the horse." Legolas said, Thranduil bending down to be eye level with Haldir.

"Are you alright, Haldir?" Thranduil asked, putting a hand on the young elf's shoulder.

"I'm fine. I have a bruise now, though, 'cause I fell on my bum. But I'll be fine. Lord Galion says we can have a snack... can we, Lord Legolas' Ada?"

Thranduil smiled and looked up at Galion.

"Why don't you go make them a treat, Lord Galion?" Thranduil smiled.

"Alright, Lord Legolas' Ada." Galion smiled and was off the make brownies and chocolate-mint cookies (like the kind the scouts and girl guides sell).

Haldir and Legolas followed Thranduil.

"Why are you two following me?"

"'Cause it's fun!" Legolas giggled, suddenly clinging onto his father's leg, making Thranduil loose his balance, but the king managed to grab onto a shelf before falling.

"Careful Legolas, I would have fallen if that very well placed shelf was not there." Thranduil said, sitting down on the floor besides his son and his son's friend.

"Ada, I love you." Legolas smiled.

"I love you too, Legolas." Thranduil pat Legolas gently on his shoulder.

"So... Haldir, do you have any siblings?"

"What's a sibling?" Haldir asked.

"A brother or sister." Thranduil smiled.

"Yes, I have one brother. His name is Orophin; he's smaller than me. And my nana and ada said to me that soon I'll have another 'sibling'."

"That's nice, Haldir." Thranduil smiled.

"Ada, I want another sibling. I want another one who is smaller than me, so I wont be the smallest." Legolas said.

"Legolas, it is not possible for me to do that."

"Why not? You where able to give Tonus a sibling, Cield a sibling and Illiendal a sibling – me! But, why can't I have a sibling?"

"Because... your mother is... In mandos right now Legolas, therefore it is not possible at all."

"Oh. But when nana comes back, can I have a sibling."

Thranduil put a hand on his head and sighed.

"Legolas, I have tried to tell you this many times before... Nana is not coming back, I am sorry."

"Oh... I forgot."

Legolas sighed and looked at Haldir.

"Is your nana still alive?"

"Yes."

"I have prepared you all a meal, and once you finish, you can have some brownies and cookies." Galion said, grinning as the elflings jumped up and ran to go eat.

"Here sir, let me help you." Galion gave Thranduil a hand as the king stood up.

"I could have gotten up on my own, you know." Thranduil smiled, walking alongside his butler as the two walked towards the dinning halls.

Legolas was making a face at the large piece of meat on his plate. Thranduil watched as Legolas tried to cover it all with his mashed potatoes, to hide the fact that they where not eaten.

"Finished!" Legolas giggled.

"Alright, so you ate the meat. Now have some potatoes." Thranduil smirked.

"No... I'm full." Legolas said, putting a hand on his belly.

"Really? Then I guess you will be too full for brownies and cookies."

"No!"

"Then eat your potatoes and the meat under them."

Legolas miserably pushed the potato off the meat and took a bite of the meat.

"Now has a spoonful of potatoes."

"A small spoonful. I hate potatoes."

"Alright Legolas, one spoonful only, and all of your meat."

Legolas nodded and did as his father asked.

"Good boy. You both finished all of your food, so Galion can bring the dessert for you two." Thranduil smiled as his son beamed at being praised.

Galion brought the dessert and the two elflings ate it up fast.

"Now, you two will have to wait a bit before going to swim, so why don't we all spend some time in the living room?" Thranduil suggested. The elflings nodded and quickly followed the king.

Thranduil lay on one of the many settees in the living room of the palace and Legolas cuddled up beside him. Cield sat on a soft cushioned chair, with his children asleep on his lap and his hair up in a ponytail. Haldir sat on the floor in front of Cield.

"How long did it take to get your hair that long, sir?" Haldir asked Cield. Cield looked down and smiled.

"I'd say... Five or ten mortal years, I do not really count."

"Is it fun to have long hair?"

"You have long hair."

"Not as long as your hair."

Cield smiled.

"It's fun, except when I have to pull long hair out of my as-

"Cield." Thranduil shook his head at his son.

"I don't even know how the hair from my head gets all the way down there!" Cield shrugged sadly.

"Cield, your hair goes down below your waste. What do you expect?"

Cield sighed and began to stoke his son's hair.

Thranduil pulled from under the settee a bottle of wine, and called for Galion to bring a wine glass for him and a glass for Cield. Thranduil poured himself and his son a glass of wine and took a small sip before placing it on the end table.

The two elflings had a wonderful day so far, but the children at school...

To be continued...

Hope you liked that. It's Friday here, yay!

Lombadia Greenleaf: Good. Straight teeth are nice. Billy Bob is very claustrophobic and afraid of the dark (and he is allergic to being gagged and tied up with rope)... Poor him.

Lariencalaelen: Oh goodie, a new reader! I don't know if they had cars or televisions, but these elves/hobbits do. The dwarves don't have television though; because you cant get a good satellite signal from inside the mountains unless you work for Sauron.

Laer4572: Ya, but the cookies of knowledge would not be strong enough to even give Pippin an ounce of knowledge.

Wow, really? That is ALL the reviews I got for that chapter. That is bad, it makes me sad. You made me sad. You are all bad people, shame on you... Just kidding. I am actually very happy, even though technically only two of those reviews where for chapter 19...