Chapter Five Finding Skills: Broken

The small dark haired elfling stood in the field with the others silently waiting for their next lesson. Today they were supposed to continue with dodging, under the strict guidance of Galathil. He was late yet again, but according to the lessons master's assistant he was still with his elder students. Elrohir glanced over to his left and saw his brother standing with the boy named Lólinder. They had quickly become friends, and Elrohir felt a little out of place standing by himself. Pursing his lips he wandered over to where Elladan and the boy stood.

Elladan looked up smiling broadly. "Lólinder, I want you to meet my brother Elrohir." Elrohir nodded shyly.

"Hi, Elrohir." The blond haired elf smiled extending his hand in greeting.

"Hello. Might I join you for awhile?" Elrohir asked cautiously glancing at his brother anxiously.

"Of course you can. I wonder how long Galathil will be?" Elladan asked placing his fingers to his lips.

Suddenly an elf came racing into the field and whispered into Galathil's assistant's ear. He nodded and cleared his throat. "Alright, I have just had word that Galathil will be awhile yet, so all of you follow me."

The small group of maybe eight to ten elfling's followed the assistant quickly. Elrohir grinned widely. "I know where we are heading." He whispered quietly.

Elladan nodded quickly. It took the elves about five minutes to wander from their open field to the training grounds on the other side of the gardens. They entered the grounds, and took in all the spectacular items lined up for training. Elladan pointed out the targets for arrow practice, and the armor clad elves. Elrohir grinned widely, and shot bright eyes to his brother who in return nodded happily. They were going to watch while their lesson's master finished with his older students.

Galathil waved to his assistant and pointed to the benches to his left and received a confirmed nod. "Come, let us sit over here and watch quietly." The assistant muttered.

Galathil watched as the anxious elflings sat quickly on the wooden benches near the training grounds, so that they wouldn't miss any action that they assumed was about to start. He slowly smiled to himself remembering his training, and being able to watch the elder elves battle each other with wits and swords. Shaking his head slightly, he called out to his students and gathered them into a circle.

Elrohir watched in fascination as the lesson's master started the training. He saw elves swinging swords at each other and ducked a few times himself as he intently watched a golden haired elf barely miss blows from his opponent. Elladan gripped his twin's hand smiling from ear to ear.

"This is so exciting. I wish to be a warrior with skills that unmatch others."

Elrohir glanced over to his brother who sat there with a lopsided grin on his face. "It is exciting." He agreed.

They silently watched as Galathil guided the training students through a sparing match, and gaped at the speed in which their lesson's master swung his sword and twisted out of harms way. Elrohir turned his head to the side as an elf that worked for his father appeared around the corner of some shrubs. He watched as the assistant and this elf spoke and then disappear again while the assistant wandered over to the young elflings.

"Elladan." The assistant called to the group. Elrohir raised his eyebrow curiously at his brother who rose from his seat and walked down the bench steps to the assistant.

Elrohir heard his brother speak to the blond haired assistant. "Yes?"

"Your father wishes a word with you in his study."

Elladan frowned glancing at his brother with worry, and walked towards the house.

Lólinder leaned over and whispered into Elrohir's ear. "What is that all about?"

Shaking his head he watched as his brother disappeared and was gone from sight.

Galathil turned around with his young students in the training field and called for attention. "Alright, I apologize for the delay. Now that we are all here, we can begin today's lessons."

Elrohir eagerly listened, as his second lesson was about to begin. It had been over an hour ago when his brother had left and he still had yet to return. Peering around him he saw no signs of his brother returning. He shuffled his feet and wished he was with his brother wanting to know why he was taken from his lessons in such haste. But he knew he had to wait until he either returned or the lessons were over.

"Now I want you all to gather into groups of two." Galathil ordered. Elrohir glanced around him wondering who he would be paired up with, but he saw no one he knew, except for Lólinder.

Elrohir walked over to the blond haired boy and nervously asked him to be his partner. "I do not know anyone else here, may I pair up with you?"

Lólinder grinned. "Sure. Elladan is not here, and he and I always pair together. It will be nice to learn this skill with you."

Elrohir shyly smiled. "Thank you."

They faced each other and listened to the lessons master as he instructed them on how to dodge their opponents attacks skillfully. Elrohir ducked under the gentle blow Lólinder threw at him and countered with one of his own to Lólinder's stomach and caught him squarely in the midsection. They danced around learning as they went and did not notice Elladan enter the field looking a little glum.

When they stopped for a quick breath Elrohir looked up feeling someone staring at him. "Ella!" He called happily. He raced over to his brother and noticed the sad expression. Frowning he looked his brother over, but seeing nothing out of the ordinary asked him what was wrong.

"I missed today's training didn't I?" Elladan asked.

Elrohir nodded concerned. "Perhaps you can stay after with me, and have Galathil teach you today's lesson?"

Elladan shook his head. "Why?"

"What did father want?" Elrohir whispered.

"Nothing."

Elrohir frowned more. "What is wrong?"

"Not a thing, brother." Elladan snapped and turned away walking away from the field leaving Elrohir standing there shocked.

"Ella?" Elrohir called. He raced to his brother's side worried. "What is it?" He touched his brother's arm gently.

Elladan slapped his brother's hand away. "Stop bothering me, and go to your training."

Elrohir stopped dead in his tracks and watched as his brother stalked towards the Last Homely House. He looked down to his feet frowning. His brother had never been angry with him before. Shaking his head he thought of the events leading up to his brother's anger. "Perhaps it was something father said." He whispered to himself sadly. He wandered back to the field and stopped beside the lessons master waiting for his extra lessons.

Elrohir raced through the halls of his father's house looking for his brother anxiously. He had not seen him since his brother had pushed him away earlier.

He skidded to a halt beside the Halls of Paintings, as his brother and him had so fondly referred to them as. Their father had yet to tell them the real name of the room. He entered knowing his brother came here when agitated. "Ella?" He called into the dimly lit room. He entered more and caught sight of his brother seated on a bench his hands worrying with something.

"Ella!" He raced to his brother's side and quickly sat down. Elladan looked up and stood walking away from his brother.

"Elladan?"

"Leave me alone!" Elladan snapped.

"Why are you angry with me?" Elrohir asked standing also.

"Go away!"

"NO!" Elrohir frowned getting angry himself at his brother's strange mood. "Not until you tell me what I have done to anger you!"
Elladan kicked at a stool causing it to topple over.

"We have never fought, I want to know what it is that you think I have done."

Elladan spun around furiously. "You take the only chance that I am called away to pair up with my friend?"

Elrohir stopped confused. "There was no one else. Besides I do not know anyone else there." Elrohir said softly.

"Lólinder is my friend, go make your own. I had to stand there and watch as you and the others train and no one for me to pair up with." Elladan said firmly.

"Why did you not just join us?" Elrohir asked pulling his mouth into a tight line. "I am certain Galathil would have allowed it."

"You should have been the one standing watching. You are the one who came late to training, and now you get all the attention!" Elladan growled. "You have made the groups odd numbered, you get all the extra training from Galathil, and you also now are trying to take my only friend away?"

Elrohir stopped confused. "I am not trying to take anything away from you Ella. You were not there. I wanted to be your partner today, but father called you away."

"Yes! To take me out of Galathil's training lessons." Elladan cried.

"What? Why?" Elrohir asked worriedly. He walked slowly to his brother's side.

"He wants me in a different group. It is all your fault!" Elladan roared. He pushed his brother out of the way and stalked past him.

"I have done nothing!" Elrohir gaped stumbling from his brother's shove.

"Leave me alone and do not bother me anymore!" Elladan spun around and exited the room leaving Elrohir standing there confused, angry, and frightened.

"FINE!" Elrohir called out hoping his outburst reached his brother's ears. "You will be alone while you have your night terrors."

He huffed quietly. Suddenly he felt guilty at his outburst and sadly walked out of the dark hall. He took a deep breath and wandered the halls lost in his own thoughts, when he noticed he had come to his father's study. He reached up to grip the doorknob but stilled his hands when he heard his father talking softly with his brother. He leaned against the door placing his ear against it to listen. They were talking about him.

Elrohir gaped as broken words came to his ears.

"Elrohir-takes-not fair-I do not-how can this-go away."

Elrohir frowned pulling away from the door. All he had wanted to do is ask his father why Elladan had been taken out of training, and now they were talking about him. Now angry he walked to his room and slammed the door.

Elrond turned around and sadly looked at his son sitting there lost. "Elladan, this is not your brother's fault. Galathil asked me to place you in archery. He thinks you will excel in that field. I think he may be right."

"But it is not fair. I am all alone there. I do not know anyone. I want to be with my friends and with Ro. How can you take me out of my lessons to tell me this then, when we could have talked now? I told Elrohir to go away and leave me alone." Elladan said softly.

"Oh, my son. Elrohir will understand."

Elladan stood up quickly. "No he won't! He does not go to where my dreams are. Yet you placed him in training. Now that he is there, he is replacing me. It is not FAIR!"

Elrond held up his hand. "Calmly. I do not need you to yell at me. That is not right." Elrond sat down next to his son and put his arm around him. "You must understand, Elladan, that you and your brother may look alike, but you have separate personalities, and different abilities. You both will excel in different fields, and will have skills that out weigh the other."

"I am sorry father." Elladan whispered.

"Have I told you of my brother Elros?"

Elladan nodded remembering the tale his father told Elrohir and himself about a year ago.

"When we were a bit older then you and your brother, I remember Elros racing up to me telling me how great at archery he was. I remember feeling left out. I was a terrible shot. I would aim and sight down the shaft of the arrow and see the target, but no matter how hard I tried I could not release my arrow true. It would always falter and fall short of the center. Elros however, could notch his arrow to the bow, and release it always hitting the target dead center. To me it seemed as though he never had to aim."

Elladan glanced up at his father smiling. "Really?"

Elrond nodded. "I remember I was better with swords. Elros could not even lift them at first. He would look at me with jealousy in his eyes, and it caused may arguments. I could swing my sword with ease, while he would struggle with flipping it in his hands. Often he would drop it, and grumble to himself. So you see, even my brother and I had our differences."

"I was angry at Ro. I thought he was taking away my friend. He gets all the attention now." Elladan lowered his head.

"Elrohir gets the attention because he needs it. You do not. You have been training for a few months now, and have skills you brother does not yet posses. You are now going into archery because you need new training. Your skills with Galathil are over. He cannot teach you anything more, so you have advanced to a higher training group. Elrohir must stay and learn things that you have already learned." Elrond watched as understanding entered his son.

"May I go now? I have to apologize to Ro." Elladan quickly jumped up and waited until his father nodded. He raced down the halls and went in search for his brother.

He quickly ran to his brother's room and turned the knob, but it was locked. Confused he knocked. "Ro?"

He heard the click of the lock and saw his brother look out.

"Ro, I am sorry. I did not understand."

"It is your turn to leave me alone." Elrohir was about to shut the door on his brother who quickly placed his foot in the way.

"No, wait. I have to tell you I am truly sorry." Elladan quickly said. "I did not understand why I was taken out of the group, I thought you had asked for it to be so."

"Why in all of the Valar would I do that?" Elrohir snapped.

Elladan looked down. "I grew jealous. I am sorry."

Elrohir opened the door a little. "I would never want you to leave my side. I do not want you to go out of the group, nor would I take anything away from you."

"I know that now. I saw you training with Lólinder and I got jealous. It did not help matters when I had no one to train with."
Elrohir opened the door a little more and stepped out. He stepped up to his brother and looked him straight in the eye. "I was jealous also." He admitted.

"You were?"

Elrohir nodded.

"Of what?"

"You have been getting closer and closer to father. I went to talk to him about our argument and I heard you talking about me. You also have traveled down the path of dreams, and I am left behind. Now you are in a different training group and I am left behind yet again."

Elladan sighed. "I do not wish for you to go into the path of dreams, Ro. It is scary, and all I ever get is that I do not understand them yet." He suddenly smiled. "Besides, when I wake, my eyes hurt."

"Hurt?" Elrohir frowned.

"When I first wake, they are dry. Father says it is because they are adjusting to now being open instead of closed all the time. He said in time they will no longer hurt and they will focus more. I will then gain elven eye sight."

Groaning, Elrohir reentered his room and his brother followed him. "Why is growing up so hard?"

Elladan shrugged. "Father told me that we will have different skills, and be better at one thing then the other."

Elrohir sat down on his bed and curled up into a ball. "I do not think I wish to travel the path now. After hearing your terrors, I do not want to grow up any longer."

"I know. But maybe yours will not be frightening. Perhaps you will dream of fireflies."

Elrohir smiled. "Oh I would love to see a firefly. Mother says they are so pretty, that they dance around without a care in the world."

Elladan grinned. "Am I forgiven for my nasty outburst?"

Elrohir sat up and nodded. "If I am."

The brother's quickly embraced and smiled happily. "I am bored." Elladan said after awhile.

"What shall we do?" Elrohir asked glancing at his brother who stood beside his fireplace.

"I want to go to the kitchen." Elladan grinned.

"Why?"

"I know that there are fresh pastries in the sill." Elladan said mischievously.

"Oh!" Elrohir widened his eyes. "You want to filch one?"

Elladan shook his head.

"Then what?"

"I want to take them all." He smirked.

Elrohir gasped. "We would get into so much trouble if we did that."

"Who said we are going to get caught?"

Both elves grinned mischievously at each other and quickly scampered from the bedroom down the halls and into the darkened halls of Rivendell. All the while never noticing a tall dark haired figure standing there in the shadows smiling to himself as he watching his twin's race to the kitchen eagerly for newly baked pastries. Whistling softly to himself he wandered to his study silently thinking to himself that once in awhile children must be allowed to get away with a little once in awhile. Closing the door he wandered to his desk and wrote a letter to Lothlorien where his wife was till visiting, to inform her of the twin's progress in their lessons.