Title: Pranks, Mud Puddles, and Revenge

Summary: A young Estel is humiliated my yet another of the twin's pranks, and finally gets his revenge with the help of an unexpected friend.

Rating: K

Genre: Humor

Disclaimers: I own nothing. I'm not getting any money.

Warnings or spoilers: erm...none

A/N: Just in case someone doesn't know, Estel is Aragorn...lol

Beta: Jo-Jo (leggy fangirl #43)

Oh, and PLEASE review and tell me if it was completely terrible!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pranks, Mud Puddles, and Revenge

A seven-year-old Estel threw himself angrily down on his bed. Hot tears were welling up in his eyes, but he wouldn't let them fall. His brothers would pay for this. He had wanted so badly to make a good impression on the elf from Mirkwood. The human had heard wondrous tales about the elf's fabled archery skills, and was dying to meet him. The blond-haired archer had arrived this morning, when Estel's brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, had just finished plotting something against their human brother…

flashback

Estel rounded a corner to see his elven brothers whispering hurriedly together.

"Is Prince Legolas here yet?" he asked, curious as to what they were whispering about.

The twins ceased abruptly, and glanced at each other with a sly smile pasted on each of their faces.

"No, not yet, but come with us outside. We want to show you something," Elladan said, beckoning to the human. Elrohir snickered, before turning his face into a mask of innocence.

Estel looked at them, his silver eyes suspicious. "What is it?"

"Oh you'll see," said Elrohir with a grin.

The boy followed them warily outside, his curiosity heightened. He blinked as he stepped out into the bright sunshine.

"Estel, hurry up!" Elladan called from up ahead. Elladan and Elrohir had reached the edge or the forest that surrounded the road. Estel began jogging to catch up, and didn't notice the long trip wire that ran between two trees. He also didn't notice the huge mud pit that was right beyond the wire. That is, until he ended up face-down in it.

The twins were on the path, clutching their sides, laughing hysterically at the sight before them: a young human dragging himself off the ground, covered from head to foot in brown sludge. His dark hair was plastered to his head, and his silver eyes looked murderous. He slowly made his way over to his brothers, and was still sputtering when hoof beats were heard. Legolas and a company of elves from Mirkwood had arrived. They rode up to the gates to be greeted by two laughing identical elves, and something that looked like a large ball of mud.

"Prince Legolas!" Elladan said, trying to keep his laughter under control.

"Suilad…" Legolas said slowly, eying Estel.

"Oh," said Elrohir, seeing his glance. "That's just our brother, Estel. He had a little…accident."

Estel gazed in awe at the elf that now stood before him. Then, remembering he was covered in mud, he turned and fled through the gates, running smack into Lord Elrond.

"Ada!" he cried. Elrond turned an astonished gaze on the young human, before shooting an icy glare to his twin sons, knowing that they had to be responsible for this.

"What happened THIS time?" Elrond demanded, but instead of answering, Estel ran past him, and into the Last Homely House.

Elrond sighed before turning back to Legolas and the other elves.

"Welcome! I apologize for Estel's...uh...behavior," he said, looking pointedly at Elladan and Elrohir.

Legolas laughed. "Think nothing of it, my lord. Although...I'm a bit
confused about exactly who that was."

"You heard that I adopted a son, did you not?" Elrond asked. At
Legolas' nod, he continued. "Well, Estel is that son."

Legolas still looked confused. "A human son?"

"Yes, a human," Elrond said simply. "Are you and your fellow elves going to stand out here all day, or will you follow me inside?"

Legolas laughed once more, before passing through the gates into Imladris.

Estel had been forced to wash, and had since changed into a clean tunic, before collapsing on his bed. He was alerted by a soft knock on his door. He hastily jumped off the soft bed and went to see who was there.

To his immense surprise, it was Prince Legolas.

"Hello, I didn't have a chance to meet you earlier, and I just came to see how you were," Legolas said gently.

Estel stared open-mouthed at the elf before him.

"I-uh...I...uh...thank you," he stammered.

Legolas nodded politely, and stepped into the room.

"I've heard so much about you! Is it true you can hit a blueberry on someone's hand from a mile away?" Estel blurted out.

Legolas laughed, and put his hand on the young human's shoulder. "I believe your brothers have been exaggerating a bit. I have a question for you though."

Estel was eager to please the older being, and nodded quickly, bidding him to go on.

"Why, exactly, were you covered in mud earlier today?" Legolas asked, a smile tugging forcefully at his lips.

Estel blushed. "I-umm…my brothers. They set up a trip wire in front of a mud puddle. Well, more like a mud pit. I didn't see it until I was laying in it."

"Ah," Legolas said in complete understanding. "Yes, I believe that same thing has happened to me before. It too was caused by the infamous Elladan and Elrohir."

"Really?" Estel asked incredulously, silver eyes growing wide.

"Oh yes, I had dirt in my hair for a week," he said, running his fingers through his blond hair for emphasis.

"They are always playing pranks on me, and I can never get them back," Estel remarked shyly, looking down at his feet.

Legolas bent down, putting himself eye level with the boy.

"Would you like to get some revenge?" he said, a sly smile creeping across his lips.

Estel's small face lit up at the mere thought.

"I'll take that as a yes," Legolas said with a laugh. "Ok, does your father have any meetings or gatherings happening any time soon? Something with important people attending?"

Estel thought for a moment. "Not really... but he and Glorfindel, as well as a few other elves go into the forest for a walk at noon every week. Sometimes my brothers go with them. They'll be taking one tomorrow."

"Perfect." Legolas was now grinning widely.

He quickly explained his plan, and watched as Estel's face shone with the aspect of getting his brothers back.

"Ok," Legolas finished. "We'll start tomorrow at dawn."

The next day's sun shone down on a peaceful Rivendell. Peaceful, save a certain young boy's room.

"Are you sure you know what to do?" Legolas asked for the final time.

Estel nodded.

"Ok, good. Now, meet me at the edge of the forest once you've finished."

Estel nodded once more before dashing off.

An hour's time showed Estel and Legolas talking hurriedly together at the edge of the forest.

"Okay, everything's perfect," Legolas said, looking around.

"Here they come!" Estel said, cutting off anything else that might have been said.

Elladan and Elrohir were walking down the path, completely oblivious as to what was being plotted for their demise. When they reached a certain point, Legolas quickly strung an arrow and fired it inches in front of the twins, causing them to halt in surprise. As they did so, Estel tugged a long cord, which triggered two massive buckets to tip over.

The bucket over Elladan's head was full of very potent pink dye, and drenched him immediately. Elrohir might have laughed, but at that moment, the other bucket poured its contents over him. Thick, gloopy, mud. And lots of it. The twins merely stared at each other, before turning their eyes toward where they knew their little brother was.

Meanwhile, Legolas and Estel were clutching their stomachs in laughter at the sight presented to them. Two tall, identical elves, one a bright pink from head to toe, and the other covered in a think, dark brown substance, making his already dark hair a shade darker. When the human saw the twin's gaze, he motioned to Legolas, and they began running in the direction of where they knew Lord Elrond and the other elves to be.

Predictably, Elladan and Elrohir immediately gave chase, dashing at their brother and friend. When they came upon a clearing in the forest, a look of shock crossed the two elves' features. They knew that they had been tricked once again. Elrond, along with Glorfindel and a few other elves were standing with bemused looks, next to Estel and Legolas, who were doubled over with laughter once more when the twins burst into the clearing.

Elrond raised an eyebrow at his youngest son, but said nothing, for he knew it was about time that his other two sons received their just reward.

"You! And you!" the eldest twin sputtered, pointing to Estel and Legolas. "You…I…ugh!"

This announcement just made the two beings laugh even harder.

Elrond said nothing in the defense of his older sons, but merely stated with a grin, "Pink suits you, Elladan. But I don't recommend that shade of brown for you, Elrohir."

This, of course, just made the two of them even more enraged. Elrohir was the first to flee the scene, with Elladan in tow.

Glorfindel had managed to suppress his laughter while the twins were present, not wishing to make them angrier, but he could no longer hold it in. At his first chuckle, the other elves present began laughing as well.

Elrond merely shook his head, and muttered something about "his sons being too much of a handful," and that, "Glorfindel was welcome to take them any time he wished".

The blond archer tugged the young boy's sleeve, indicating that this was a good opportunity for them to escape without notice. They quickly dashed back to the Last Homely House, finally having gotten their revenge, and began a wonderful friendship.

Finis.