Chapter Six
Escapades
The two small elflings sat huddled in the darkness, both wrapped up in each other's safe embrace, when the others found them. Both boys, shivered with fright when a large door opened, followed by a light. They quickly got to their feet and saw their father standing there with a very worried looking Figwit. Before any of them could react or respond, a large dog raced from the confines of the room, causing both boys to cry out in fear. Erestor twisted around and raced after the dog.
"How did you two get in here?" Their father asked, glancing around at the dark storage room. It was filled with large broken pieces of wood, a large table, and many stools. Old weapons littered the walls, and the windows were barred shut with planks of timber.
Elrohir looked around him looking for the crawl space and found it behind a tattered old bookcase. "Over there." He lifted his head listening to the diminishing sounds of the storm. "Is the thunder over?" He asked curiously.
Elrond nodded. "For now." Elrond held out his arms to his son's, who raced over eagerly. He checked them over looking for signs of injury and finding none, lifted them into his arms, and stood. He glowered at Figwit who lowered his head ashamed.
Erestor returned with the dog tied with a rope and shook his head. "It must have wandered in here some time ago, it is thin from lack of food."
Elrond glanced at his twins, who shivered in his arms, then down at the dog. "Have it fed, then release it into the wild where it belongs."
"Your son's possibly frightened it, as much as it frightened them." Erestor murmured.
"I care not!" Elrond barked. "I want you and Figwit in my study in an hour. I have need of words for both of you."
Both advisors stood shaken as their lord turned and stalked down the halls with his son's.
Elrohir jumped on his bed, laughing as his father reached out for him. He kept dancing out of the way, earning a sigh of frustration from the elf lord.
"Elrohir, it is time to ready yourself for bed." Elrond muttered, slowly loosing his patience. He needed to meet with his advisors to set them straight. He had heard of them being at odds with each other, from his aide Glorfindel. He reached out again for his son's leg as he jumped out of reach. Elrohir laughed again, but ceased his jumping and flopped down onto the soft bed.
"Read me a story?" Elrohir smiled.
"Not tonight, perhaps tomorrow. It is late, and you have had a long trying day, as the rest of us have." Elrond shook his head firmly.
Elrohir pouted, but his face brightened when his brother skipped into the room.
Elrond sighed again. "I thought you would be asleep by now." He raised his eyebrow at his eldest son who he had tucked in no more then ten minutes ago.
"Not tired." Came the small reply, as the small elf climbed up into his brother's bed.
Elrond closed his eyes flabbergasted. He would never make it to his study in time. "Both of you to bed now." He commanded, pointing to the pillows, and blankets. Tonight he refused to fight with them about separate bedrooms. He tucked them both in and quickly retreated before questions issued from their tiny mouths.
Finally he was able to race down the halls to his study, where he suspected the two advisors to be waiting. He slowed his pace as he came to the corner by his study and casually walked to the doors. Both elves stood there, waiting, but both looking glum.
Elrond opened the doors and motioned for them to follow him inside. "Sit, I want your complete attention on my words." He pointed to the chairs and he went to a small table and poured a glass of wine for himself. He took a couple of sips before turning to face his advisors. Finally, calmed a little he began his speech.
Elrohir raced down the halls followed by a giggling mirror. It was late and they were too wound up to fall asleep. As they rounded a corner, they heard shouts drifting from their father's study, and they quickly ran to listen. They recognized three voices raised in argument, one being stiff old Erestor, another their friend and story teller, Figwit, whom they had never heard anything louder then a soft spoken word out of his mouth, until now. Then there was their father's. They glanced at each other curiously.
They quickly spun around when a voice cleared its throat behind them. They looked up at their grandfather who stood there with his arms crossed. "It is not polite to eavesdrop. Nor should you be wandering the halls at this hour. Should you not be in bed?" He raised his eyebrows in question.
Both boys scrambled to their feet, glancing at each other worriedly. "We were not tired." The muttered together quietly.
The door behind them opened to reveal their father who appeared to be surprised. "What is this?" He glanced at Celeborn then at his twin's who stood there looking guilty. "I thought I told you it was time for bed?" Elrond furrowed his brows. "Off with you both. I do not want to see you out of bed until morning. Understood?"
Both boys nodded.
"Now off with you." Elrond pointed, smiling slightly at Celeborn, who followed to make sure they obeyed. Elrond grinned to himself, then turned to face both advisors who looked like they were ready to run. "As for you two, I do not want to hear of another incident such as this. I rely on you both to help me keep things in order, and I do not appreciate having constant bickering between you. I chose you both for your skills and talent, and I choose not lightly. You!" He pointed to Erestor. "Must learn to control your opinions, and your temper. I know of all your attempts to put a bad face upon Figwit, and if there are any more such attempts you will be removed from my service. Understood?"
He earned himself a sharp nod.
"Now get out of here before I chastise you as if I would my own son's." Both advisors left quickly and raced down the halls. Elrond burst into heavy laughter. "Oh, that was fun. Like Celeborn said, my dear Glorfindel, it is not polite to eavesdrop." He turned around and watched as his aide emerged from the shadows.
Glorfindel smirked. "Like you mind so much. You love showing off when others displease you."
Elrond chuckled and poured his friend a glass of wine. "Finally I can sit and relax." Before he could utter another word, his door slammed open, revealing two small-frightened elflings. They raced across the floor and flung themselves into their father's arms. Glorfindel choked on his wine. "You were saying?"
"Why are you not in bed?" Elrond scolded.
"He told us a scary story!" They cried burying their heads into their father's robes.
"Who?"
"Grandfather!"
Elrond burst into renewed laughter. This would prove to be a long night indeed. He shook his head. "Come, I will tuck you in and read you a story." He untangled the twins from his robes, and walked with them out of his study doors. He cursed silently, as his aides laughter drifted after him.
Elrond pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning against the railing of his balcony. His wife had finished telling him she was to accompany her mother and father back to Lothlorien for a visit, and he was far from impressed. It caused a long argument, but finally he relented, and they calmly talked until the very early parts of the morning. Now his wife was asleep and he was left with a pounding ache in his head.
He had read the twin's a tale of the ents, which had caused many questions, and afterwards wondered if it was worth reading that particular story to them. Shaking his head, he chuckled. What a fine night this had turned out to be. He turned away from the rising sun and reentered his chambers and finally climbed in next to his wife. He closed his eyes; it seemed for only a brief second when a knock came to his door.
"Oh, for the love of the Valar!" He grumbled. Crawling out of bed he opened the door, saying as he did so. "This had better be good!"
There stood his aide looking a little surprised at his lord's disheveled state, but also looked a bit weary. "You had better come."
Elrohir jumped on his bed swinging a small stick at his brother who clamored across the blankets. "I am an ent and you need fear me!" Eladan cried, jumping up onto his feet.
Elrohir cried out in a loud voice. "I am a great warrior. We shall work together and defeat those who battle against us." Both boys played on the tousled bed, jumping over each other and fighting imaginary monsters, when both should have been long asleep. Elrohir skipped over his brother, but caught his feet on the large blankets and tumbled to the floor. He sat up and giggled at his clumsiness. "Opps."
He quickly untangled his feet from the covers and climbed back onto the bed, and they started their battles again. Suddenly the door opened and revealed Elrond and Glorfindel standing there aghast. Both boys quickly dropped onto the bed, and quickly hid behind their pillows. "What is the meaning of this?" Elrond asked, glancing at the now ruffled room. Toys and items were scattered across the floor, blankets and pillows were strone about everywhere. He received two pairs of gray eyes peeking around rather large pillows. Eyes wide, this particular scene caused a weary Elrond to howl with laughter. "Oh, Varda!" He gasped closing the door behind him. He stood there, his hand on the doorknob, laughing for some time, before gathering his wits about him and reentering the room. "Now, lie down and go to sleep you two monsters." He said firmly. "I told you to stay in bed."
"But, father!" Elrohir protested. "We never left the bed, well only once when I fell out of it, but we played on the bed."
"We are not tired." Elladan shot in quickly.
This again caused Elrond to chuckle amused. Too tired to argue with his son's, he smiled. "Loosen your energy outside. That way you do not disturb certain members of the house, who are trying to sleep." He pointedly glanced at Glorfindel who grinned. "Stay close to the house, and do not stray from the gardens. I will be down to join you shortly." Elrond stood, and watched as his boys gathered up a few toys, dressed themselves and raced from the room excitedly.
"No rest I am afraid for you." Glorfindel muttered gleefully.
"Watch yourself, Glorfindel, I may command you to watch over them while I sleep."
Glorfindel quickly held out his hands and backed out of the room quickly. "Good day Elrond, catch you in the afternoon sometime." Elrond grinned as he heard the click of his aide's door down the hall.
Elrond sighed defeated, another sleepless night. Groaning he gathered himself and eventually walked out into the gardens where he caught sight of his son's playing hide and find. He sat there for a long time watching his two sons' play tirelessly and smiled at this rare moment to spend with his children. Even though he had no sleep this night, he found himself soaking up the sweet laughter, and happy cheers. Life could not get any better them this.
