Disclaimer: Muddle Earth… I mean Middle Earth belongs to JRR Tolkin.

Chapter Three Many Meetings

Elrond paced from one side of his study to the other swishing his cloak about him in frustration. He glanced quickly to the first of his advisors Glorifindel the Belrog slayer. The blonde elf stared back stoically.

"I'm sure there is a very good reason for your sons' lateness," Glorifindel commented softly; it was obvious that he himself had doubts about his statement of confidence in Elrond's twins..

Elrond shook his head sadly; his twin sons were infamous for their tardiness.

"It is unpredictable out in the wilds," Erestor his other advisor commented lightly, "anything could have happened out there."

Elrond felt his stomach clench in fear involuntarily. Ever since loosing his beloved wife many years ago he feared unreasonably for the remaining members of his family.

"Elrohir and Elladan can look after themselves," Glorfindel added in an assuring manner and sending a withering look to his raven haired companion. "They can handle difficult situations."

"There has been no word from them," Elrond snapped irritably, "no word."

"Well milord they are out in the wilds," Glorfindel added.

Elrond snorted loudly and sat, on the intricate chair behind his desk, as regally as his anger would allow him.

"You may leave," he sighed wistfully waving a hand delicately, "You have better things to do than to quell my discomfort."

Erestor and Glorfindel exchanged looks and nodded slightly before slipping out of Elrond's study.

Elladan watched ruefully as his brother warmed some water. The foundlings, Elemmire and Amdir were watching also, curiosity unmasked on their little faces. However knowing what his brother was up to, Elladan smirked at the looks of wonder on the children's faces as Elrohir advanced on the huddled elflings.

Clamping a firm hand on Amdir's chin he raised the elfling's face slightly and despite Amdir's squeals of protest he proceeded to wash away the mud and blood from the child's small face.

Elemmire was watching wide eyed and inching away from Elrohir. Clearly aware that he was next and yet was unhappy by the thought.

Catching this small movement Elladan sighed grabbed a rag; dumped it into the water and caught Elemmire around his slim waist. Elemmire cried out and wiggled and squirmed as Elladan applied the cleaning rag to his dirty cheeks and nose.

"There," Elrohir said proudly, "they look much better."

Elladan stood back chuckling slightly at the indigent righteous fury in Elemmire's childish pout. But he certainly disagreed with his brother's assessment. They were still filthy, their hair was mattered and lank and they were much, much to skinny.

"All we need to do is…"

"Elrohir enough," Elladan snapped, "Ada will already be furious with us. Best not delay."

Elrohir sighed and rolled his eyes. "But we have them," he said wavering his hands in

the elflings' direction. "Ada couldn't possibly be angry with us."

"Will Udder be angry with us?" Elemmire asked with all seriousness.

Elrohir and Elladan exchanged glances. Elladan picked up the pair and sat them on his horse. "Not if we leave now."

"We should stop for lunch," Elrohir commented from in front. Against his broad chest Elladan felt the twin nods of the elflings.

"We're too close to Imladris," Elladan muttered, "another hour or so. We've never stopped this close."

"We were never travelled far when we were helpless, scrawny, hungry elflings," Elrohir commented dryly nodded his head at Elemmire and Amdir who were both wide eyed in anticipation of food.

"Ada would not approve of us starving the elflings," Elrohir continued, knowing this argument would win over his difficult twin brother.

"Very well," Elladan muttered ruefully. He grumbled and dismounted Belladir under a shady tree and helped the twins clamber down.

"Sit there," Elladan commanded pointy to a mossy seat under a tree. Elemmire sat obediently without hesitation and glanced up at Elladan. Amdir however glared at Elladan in reply. "You didn't ask nicely."

Elrohir chuckled at the look of indignation on his brother's face. "Please, little elfling sit next to your cute twin."

Amdir nodded in Elrohir's direction in acknowledgement before flopping down beside his brother.

Elladan sighed and rolled his eyes but otherwise made no comment. He searched through the pack and pulled out a fist full of bread and a hunk of cheese each for the twins.

Amdir took the offered food greedily but Elemmire reached out slowly, his small head bowed forward. Elladan had seen the great sadness in his eyes. Feeling dejected Elladan patted the elfling's head. "Eat up."

Elemmire obeyed slowly nibbling at the edges.

In the end Elladan lost his patience with Elemmire's slow eating habits so the little elfling was mounted back with his brother on Elrohir's horse Telwah sucking noisily on a piece of cheese.

Elrohir hummed happily as he and his brother rode down to the familiar roads that lead into Imladris. The two foundlings were leaning against his chest, snuggled closely as their large sleepy eyes started to loose their focus. He stroked their hair absently and felt their shivers of contentment.

"Halt!"

Elrohir groaned as the tip of an arrow was barely inches from his nose. "Glorifindel."

"Told you we shouldn't have stopped for lunch," Elladan muttered from behind glaring at his brother coldly.

"You're late," Glorifindel commented, "Stopping for lunch is the least of your problems."

"But we were hungry," Amdir piped up lifting his head sleepily from Elrohir's chest. Glorfindel started as he had not noticed the elfling. Another head moved and regarded him. "I was really hungry," Elemmire commented pathetically.

Glorifindel's gazed flew from one elfling to the other in a state of confusion.

"Were did you get them?" Glorifindel demanded a little harshly.

"We rescued them in the wilds," Elrohir replied proudly. "Aren't they cute?"

"Quite," Glorifindel replied dryly and turned around leading the two sets of twins into Imladris.

Elrond was furious. Elladan and Elrohir had apparently been spotted on the road taking their merry time to reach the Last Homely House. Of course no one mentioned to Elrond about the twins that were snuggled warmly against Elrohir chest.

He paced to and fro deciding how he was going to handle his anger. He opted for the option of sitting back calmly at his desk and ignoring his sons. He picked up a quill and parchment and scribbled nonsense across the surface; he knew the cold shoulder made his wayward sons uncomfortable.

Elrond heard his study door open and click shut. "Ada…"

"Where were you?" Elrond asked dryly.

"Ada, we ran into trouble and…"

Elladan made a desperate grab for Amdir who was dragging his twin and himself closer to get a better look upon the lord of the Last Homely House. Elrond was still writing frantically on a piece of parchment; the elflings were engrossed with the movement of the long white quill. Apparently they had never seen anyone writing before. Elrond who still had not looked up at not sensed the approaching elflings

But before Elladan could step forward; Amdir had slipped between Elrond's knee and elbow to position himself to get a better look what was happening.

Elrond gave a cry of surprise and found that he was staring at two pairs of large blue-green eyes. He glanced up to his sons who stood stiffly by the door. Elrohir looked on with pride with a smile; Elladan was scowling.

"Please explain," Elrond said with a forced calmness. Amdir ignored the lord's disconcertment and clambered on top of his knee to get a better look at the writing. Elemmire was craning his neck to see as well, but was keeping as much distance as possible away from Elrond.

"We rescued them in the wilds," Elladan explained.

Elrond turned to look at the dishevelled appearance of the elflings and screwed up his nose; they needed a good bath!

"Can we keep them?" Elrohir asked breathlessly. Elladan sighed heavily.

Elrond looked around stunned at first then looked to the elflings. "I'm sure that their Ada and Neneth are missing them."

"There's that Udder word again," Amdir commented to Elemmire who nodded his head dutifully to his twin.

Elrond started and looked appraisingly over the elflings again who were now staring at him unblinkingly. "Are you the Udder person?" Elemmire asked shyly.

Elrohir snorted back laughter and looked apologetically to his father. "We rescued them from slavery from their human masters."

Identical heads bounced in agreement. "And now we are pretending to be elves with them," Amdir announced.

Elrond started and glanced to his sons who cheeks reddened. "Pretending?"

"Ah-ha," Elemmire nodded finding his courage and leant forward so that Elrond also leaned in to hear him, "It's a secret though. We don't want the elves to find out."

Elrond nodded solemnly as if what Elemmire had said was perfectly reasonable. "Whose idea was this?"

"The grumpy one," Elemmire replied happily pointing at Elladan who scowled.

"I see…"

Elrond stood and kneeled in front of Elemmire and Amdir taking their tiny hands in his own. He finally nodded and patted their heads gently.

"Here, a servant will take you to the baths and find you something to wear…" Elrond said standing. An elvish servant was already waiting at the door. "I need to speak with Elladan and Elrohir alone. Understand?"

The elflings nodded and went to the door taking the servant's hand as they were ushered from the study.

When they were gone Elrond fixed his sons with a hard stare.