Disclaimer: I don't own any of JRR Tolkin's characters or his wonderful world.
A/N: Amdir – is directly taken from Sindarin and does mean hope. Yes Estel also means hope but I couldn't steal that one. Elemmire is directly taken from Quenya and means simply means star.
Originally I wanted to call the twins star of hope/ star of freedom… but I didn't like the blending with the elvish words. The names sound better this way…
Chapter Four Hair Cuts
The servant who introduced herself as Filigon, lead the tired elfling twins firstly to the blacksmith shed. Amdir spent the whole journey happy chatting about what fun it was to pretend to be an elf, while Filigon eyed his curiously. Elemmire nodded now as a sign of agreeing with his brother but his mind was preoccupied somewhere else.
The smithy was a noise place full of curiosities for the small elflings. Filigon however did not leave any time for exploring the new world for her small charges. She took Amdir's hand and steered them towards a tall raven haired elf who was working furiously with hot metal. Elemmire watched in rapt fascination as the hammer fell again and again shaping the now soft metal. Amdir squinted every time the hammer hit the metal.
"Aldros," Filigon said quietly. The smithy stopped in mid stroke, hid his surprise and lowered his hammer gently onto the bench.
"Filigon what are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.
Filigon smiled wanly in reply and nudged the elflings forward. "I need your help."
Aldros knelt quickly unable to hide his surprise any longer. "Elflings… what?"
"The chain," Filigon said patiently, "I need you to free them gwador."
Aldros surveyed the chain darkly and nodded for Filigon to help him to sit the twins on his bench. He turned away quickly looking over his tools and wiping his forehead.
"Whose are they?" Aldros asked as if it was none of his concern. But Filigon knew that he was very interested to know.
Filigon shrugged. "Lords Elrohir and Elladan brought them from the wilds."
"The wilds?" Aldros fixed Filigon with a stare. "Are you sure. They're just babies."
Filigon sighed heavily. "Yes gwador, the wilds."
"Now what were you to doing in the wild eh?" Aldros murmured turning back to his tools and picking up a long pin and a hammer.
"Running away," Elemmire replied calmly gazing adoringly up at Aldros. The shy twin was becoming to like the smithy more and more with every passing second. He glanced up into the honest perfect face and the bulging muscles and fine muscular chest. Impulsively Elemmire grabbed the smithy's worked calloused hands and pulled him down so that Aldros was insisting that he squat beside him. "We didn't like our masters so we went away. We slaves hate humans."
"…and elves," Amdir interjected helpfully, feeling a little odd that Elemmire was gaining attention off an adult willingly.
"You don't like elves, eh?" Aldros inquired raising his eyebrows and looking up at Filigon for some answers. She merely rolled her eyes at him.
"But were pretending to be elves," Elemmire concluded with a sharp nod of his head; determined that his brother wasn't going to steal his limelight away.
However Elemmire gasped loudly as his eyes caught sight of the selection of tools in Aldros' hand. "You're not coming anywhere near me with those!" he squawked. But before he could jump from the counter Filigon had grabbed him about his shoulders and held him firmly.
Aldros smiled comfortingly. "Come now, no struggling. I know what I am doing."
Elemmire gazed at him dubiously and squirmed as Aldros approached with pin and hammer.
"Can we keep them?" Elrohir inquired eagerly despite his father's hard glare.
"They're not one of your stray creatures, Elrohir," Elladan muttered, he was sure his twin was only going to get them into more strife with their father. "They're elflings…" Elladan glanced to his father for support but he was met with a silent stare.
Elrond seemed happy to sit back and watch the argument brewing between the two brothers. He surveyed them with dry amusement. Elrohir and Elladan often argued in his presence.
"They are very young ion nin," Elrond said finally clearing his throat.
"I know ada," Elrohir sighed turning his attention away from his frustrated brother.
"Very young," Elrond continued stoically.
Elrohir sighed heavily.
"Young children take much work and devotion…"
Elladan nearly groaned and wished that his father would not allow Elrohir to 'keep' the elflings. Elrohir could barely look after himself sometimes.
"Once you adopt the elflings there is no going back…"
Elladan cringed while Elrohir whooped and enveloped Elrond in a tight embrace. "Thankyou Ada!"
"Did you hear that, Elladan?"
Elladan nodded slowly feeling regret that he had not spoken earlier.
"Aren't you happy?" A brief glimmer of hurt crossed Elrohir's ecstatic face.
"You honestly think you have the patience for a pair of elflings?" Elladan asked seriously.
Elrond was grinning.
"What makes you think that I do not?" Elrohir returned sharply.
Elladan smiled thinly. "They're babies still… babies Elrohir."
"So?" Elrohir snapped forgetting that their father was watching the development of their argument.
Elladan shook his head. "They will test and try you, Elrohir… and they won't know that they are driving you insane. Then just wait until they get older and can get into all sorts of mischief… Then they'll hit adolescence and they'll deliberately go out of their way to annoy you and then…"
"Reminds me of a pair of twins I know," Elrond commented wryly from his corner.
Filigon lathered another handful of lavender soap ignoring the expression of pure sulkiness she was receiving from Amdir. She hummed merrily as she rubbed the bubbly mixture into the elfling's black inky hair, while Amdir's pout only became more pronounced.
Elemmire sat docilely sniffing the calming scent now and then. His hair and been washed first since he had seemed the calmer of the twins. Filigon snatched a look at him and was pleased and relieved that he seemed happy to sit in the tepid water; glancing periodically at his reflection.
Amdir screwed up his nose again as Filigon finished massaging the soap into his hair. It smelled funny to him and he didn't like the soap at all.
Filigon rinsed Amdir's long hair and then proceeded to brush threw the wet strands of hair. Amdir proved to be more difficult than his brother and squirmed and wiggled as she tried to braid his hair.
Deciding that she would see to the quiet twin first she lifted Elemmire from the tub and pattered him dry. She dressed him quickly into the tiniest pair of leggings her fellow servants could find and a pale green shirt. Both items of clothes were miles to big for him. Elemmire stood stiffly his arms stretched out like a scarecrow; he did not seem to be amused. "You have some growing to do," Filigon told him as she rolled up his sleeves.
Elemmire nodded and sighed mournfully, "I'll never grow."
"I'm sure you will one day be tall."
"Like Aldros?"
"Hmm. Maybe."
"What about me?" Amdir cried. "Will I be tall one day?"
Filigon turned to him. "I'm sure you'll be as tall as your brother will be," she replied putting little moccasins on Elemmire's feet.
Amdir and Elemmire dressed and bathed were taken by Filigon back into the Last Homely House. They didn't go far when they were accosted by an older elf, although it was rather difficult to tell, with long raven hair twisted into complicated braiding.
"Ah, this must be the famous Amdir and Elemmire," he said kneeling by the startled twins. The twins looked to each other; Elemmire huddled closer to his brother.
Seeing the youngsters' confusion the elf offered them both each his hands. Amdir readily offered his own and nudged his reluctant twin to follow his example.
"I am Erestor and Elrohir had told me how cute you both are," the elf said, "I'm honoured to meet you both."
Amdir frowned he didn't like being consistently referred to as 'cute.' It made him sound like a mere child.
"What did Elladan say?" Amdire demanded suddenly. Elemmire nodded his head, eager to hear what he had to say. Erestor smiled at the memory of Elladan's few words about the new twins that would be living under Elrohir's care in Imladris.
"He said that…" Erestor's smile widened, "you were the smallest elflings he had ever seen."
"Oh," Amdir returned glancing at Elemmire.
"Pretending to be elves isn't very hard," Elemmire commented slowly. Amdir shook his head in confusion and yawned widely.
"They're very sleepy, milord Erestor," Filigon apologised quietly.
Erestor patted each twin's head lightly. "Of course they are after all their adventures and a warm bath." He nodded and swiftly turned on his heel and left the corridor without a sound.
Filigon lead the twins a little further down and opened a door ushering the twins inside. "This will be your room."
Amdir gasped in surprise. The room was well furnished with intricate furniture carved from wood, two little beds neatly made to one side, tapestries of green and blue around the beds and walls.
Elemmire sighed in contentment and curled himself immediately onto one bed, digging under the covers to find the hidden warmth. Amdir rolled his eyes; typical!
"Rest here little ones; I'm sure lords Elrohir and Elladan will come to see you soon." With one last appraising look at the odd twins Filigon melted away.
"I don't like this," Amdir immediately said tugging on one of his braids. Elemmire glanced up at him dolefully. "I look like a girl!" Amdir tugged more viciously on his braid for effect and scowled as his brother laughed at him; he had escaped from his hair being braided – Filigon obvious had forgotten.
"We could have such fun here!" Elemmire cried happily trying to find a topic that would distract his brother from his disastrous hair do. "We could play all sorts of tricks with the people here. Maybe we shouldn't introduce ourselves as twins… they'll think they've gone mad."
Amdir's scowled deepened. "That won't work stupid!"
"I'm not stupid," Elemmire cried pouting.
Amdir sighed and threw a heavily pillow at his twin who caught it and tumbled from the bed with a muffled hmph!
"I'm still not stupid!"
"Everyone probably knows about us – Ear – ros –ta did," Amdir sniggered.
Elemmire's forehead and eyes appeared from the other side of the bed. "But there is a lot of people here…"
But Amdir wasn't listening. A gleam had caught his eye. Investigating he saw a letter opener that had been left on a side table. His sparkled mischievously as he picked it up.
"Ow… don't," Elemmire murmured glancing at the door worriedly. "What if you get into trouble."
Amdir ignored his worried brother, however and tightened his braid and slashed through his hair with the letter opener. He watched victoriously as his hair floated down to his feet.
His triumph was short lived.
"What are you doing?"
Elemmire scrambled from behind the bed his eyes wide with a pleading look. In the doorway stood Elladan, Elrohir and another tall stranger.
Amdir guiltily grabbed his cut braid and hid it behind his back. He was no fool he was already sure that the adults had seen what he had done.
"What have you done?" Elrohir demanded sharply. Elemmire didn't like his tone – it spoke of trouble.
On shaky legs Elemmire cautiously stood beside his brother who had always insisted that there were safety in numbers.
Elladan leaned casually on the door frame and glanced at the stranger. "I did tell Elrohir trouble wouldn't be long in coming." The stranger beamed and turned his blue eyes back to the miniature twins before him. Elrohir however gave him a withering look that seemed to be mixed with a plea.
"Go on Ada," Elladan replied lightly, "this is your job."
Elemmire gasped his hand flying to his mouth in wonderment. "The Udder word," he whispered frantically to Amdir, "he just called him that word."
Amdir shrugged listlessly and forced the innocent smile he had learned from infancy onto his face.
"Don't give me that look," Elrohir returned sharply, "I know you have done something naughty."
Amdir's expression didn't change; if at all possible he looked incredibly more innocent. Elemmire looked like he was about to cry.
Elrohir sighed and tried a different tact. "Why did you cut off your braid?" he asked in a soft dangerous voice.
"I didn't like it," Amdir answered curtly, "It made me look like a girl."
The stranger laughed lightly and stepped forward so the little twins could see him more clearly. He was tall with long muscular limbs; long blond braided hair framed perfect sharp ears. Blue eyes twinkled in merriment as he approached with long purposeful but completely silent steps.
"Do I look like a girl?" the stranger asked.
Elemmire stepped back in awe of the blonde elf, backing away quickly like a frightened fawn. Amdir however puffed out his chest and nodded his head. "Your braids make you look like a girl…"
Elrohir nearly swooned on the spot. Mortified he stretched out his hand and snatched the child's silken lock from his hand. "Now you will look silly until your hair grows back." He glanced at the stranger who also looked a little taken aback.
Amdir shrugged. "I won't look like a girl," he added practically.
"Only silly," Elemmire whimpered. Elrohir smiled sadly at the shy twin and reached out to brush his hand through his hair. He saw the child close his eyes and gulp in fear.
"Do not be afraid, penneth…"
Elemmire opened his eyes again as Elrohir's hand brushed through his silky hair once more.
"Your brother has been foolish," Elrohir glanced sideways at Amdir and was satisfied to see his pale cheeks tinge into a shade of pink. "Now we must find away for him to not look silly."
Elemmire nodded sideways. "We should cut the rest of his hair."
"NO!" Amdir cried clutching his locks in small balled fists and started to shake his head furiously. "I won't let you touch my hair!"
Elladan snorted in disbelief and murmured something incomprehensible to the stranger, who smiled wanly.
Elrohir ignored the two, picked up a squirming Amdir and sat him on the bed. With quick elvish reflexes he loosened the miserable elfling's hair. Then he swiftly rebraided Amdir's long black hair minding to hide the chunk of missing hair.
"Come, adar – gwador braid Elemmire's hair or we will all be late and displease King Thranduil."
Elladan sighed at the beaming Elemmire who seemed to be rapt about gaining positive attention from the 'grumpy twin'. He patted a spare spot on the bed and blinked sweetly up at Elladan so that the new reluctant 'uncle' could not help by smile genially at him. But before he could reach for the comb Elemmire was tugging at Elladan's sleeve.
"Who is your new friend?"
Elladan glanced at the blonde elf, who with marked strides came directly before the curious elfling. Blue eyes of years of experience meet with innocent but marred eyes of the youngster. "My name is Legolas…"
"The prince of Mirkwood, so mind your manners tonight," Elladan warned. The stranger groaned aloud.
"I've never heard of Mirkwood," Amdir replied casually deliberately jerking his head so that Elrohir let out a hiss of frustration.
"Is it far away?" Elemmire asked his large eyes widening even more in wonderment.
"Ai, very far for a little one," Legolas replied solemnly.
Elladan picked up the comb and started to braid Elemmire's hair. This youngsters' shoulder drooped; his eyes half – lidded and a large smile plastered on his youthful face. Elladan almost expected to hear him purr with contentment. Unlike Amdir Elemmire seemed to bask in this attention… he would have to mention it later to Elrohir…
By the time Elladan finished braiding Elemmire's hair the young child was almost asleep in his arms. Grinning from ear to ear Legolas moved towards the door. "He is so cute that my Adar could almost forgive you for being late…"
Translations of Illeanah elvish…
Some of you are probably wondering about the use of adar – gwador. Literally made this up means father-brother ie uncle. I couldn't find an elvish word for uncle on the website I'm using so this will have to suffice. Sorry to any of you who are complete fanatics but this is Illeanah logic… make it fit. I wanted to have Elrohir call Elladan 'uncle' in the lead up to the next chapter…
Illeanah