Author's Note: Firstly I am sooooo sorry for not updating. I've just finished my Mathematics Education 3 assignment (thirty pages) and now I'm onto more teacher planning stuff. Sigh I'm busy and stressed. But in celebration of one less assignment I am giving you this chapter.
Okay further note – come to the conclusion no more elvish phrasing for me!
Disclaimer: Middle Earth obviously does not belong to me! I can't even construct a simple elvish phrase! ARGH!
Chapter Ten What Was Lost is Found
Elrond and Elladan supported the sobbing Elrohir back to the last Homely House, leaving Glorfindel in charge of the continued search for Elemmire, or as Elrohir was now certain the elfling's body.
Elrohir shivered involuntarily not because it was cold something inside of him had altered. His heart seemed heavy, his footsteps were leaden and his eyesight blurred. He recognised them as the same physical discomforts he experienced when he and Elladan had found their mother battered and near death. With a shuddering sigh he lifted a pale hand and wiped his cheeks dry with his long elegant fingers.
Elrohir's sadness suddenly stilled, he felt the beast inside him uncurl and his anger rise. Wrenching his arms away first his father and his brother Elrohir hissed in annoyance. "I am no invalid."
Elladan glanced up at Elrohir wide eyed and deeply wounded by his brother's reprimand. "Elrohir…" the word was but a whisper but it was enough to make Elrohir's fraying temper soar. Grounding his teeth Elrohir sneered and started to stalk ungracefully up the stairs glaring at any elf that was brave enough to bar his path.
"Elrohir!" Elrond called in his ever so even calm tone. "Come back here."
Elrohir continued is prowl, preferring to pretend he had not heard his father's voice.
"Elrohir!" Elrond repeated crisply not so calmly. Elrohir's retreating back was all Elrond received in reply.
"ELROHIR!" Elrond screeched loosely all pretence of his lordly countenance. Elrohir turned on his heel and tilted his head roughly to the side; knowing full well he couldn't pretend he hadn't heard Elrond's call. "What?"
Elrond took a step back in surprise never had either of his son's dared to use such a surly tone with him! "Elrohir," Elrond growled warningly, which would have been enough to make a belrog quail in fright.
"What?" Elrohir snarled relishing taking his anger out of his own father.
Hurt and angry himself Elladan stepped forward. "We are only trying to comfort you… no need to swipe our heads of our shoulders." With a look of total disgust Elladan pushed past Elrohir and squelched down the hall. "At any rate I won't let you see Amdir while you are in such a state of madness!"
Elrohir watched dumbfounded as his elder brother matched down the hall, looking regal despite the fact his robes where soaked and muddied and was that fresh water weed behind his elegant pointed ear? "Amdir…" Elrohir whispered to himself sinking slowly to his knees. How in all of Arda could he explain to Amdir what had befallen his twin?
Elrohir did the only thing he could do in the situation he sat on his haunches in the middle of the hall and cried. Much to Elrond's consternation.
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Elladan wrenched Elrohir's door open with more force then he meant to. He was so angry with his brother that he could wrap his fingers around his throat and…
The door banged frightfully against the wall and bounced slightly. Elladan caught a glimpse of Amdir flitting from the bed. The dark haired elfling looked up with wide blue-green eyes and smiled tentatively.
"You're wet," Amdir pointed out grinning his eyes flitted back to Elrohir's chess board.
"Yes," Elladan said blandly.
"And muddy."
"That too."
Amdir picked up the black knight and skipped it diagonally over a black pawn. He took the black pawn from the board then scrambled over the other side and this time attacked the white queen with her own pawn. When he had done this he jumped back to the black side.
Elladan watched the one sided game in amusement. Amdir hadn't made any legal moves. Obviously he had been watching Erestor playing the night before with Elrond…
"Those moves are very illegal," Elladan pointed out dryly.
Amdir blinked up at him with large confused eyes. "I don't mind if I cheat against myself."
"I could show you…"
But Amdir's eyes were glued to the board once more. "Shh… Not now! This is a game of strategy." Elladan blanched, Amdir even sounded like Erestor.
With a flurry of hand movements Amdir picked up the black king and the white king and they did battle in mid air. The pieces clinked together making Elladan grimace, if only Elrohir could see what was being done to his precious chess set! On second thoughts… Suddenly as the Great Battle began the two kings froze in the air and then plummeted to their deaths onto the board.
"They're dead. Not coming back like Glorfindel though. Where's Elemmire?"
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Elrond wrapped his arms around Elrohir shoulders and hurled him to his feet. He proceeded to drag his son along back to his own chambers when a servant rushed up his cheeks a cherry read colour from his recent exertion.
"Master Elrond, the Lady of the…"
"Elrond…" An ethereal voice broke of the servant's message. Elrond turned abruptly and grimaced. He had forgotten about his mother-in-law's imminent arrival in all the excitement.
"Milady Galadriel, Milord Celeborn." Elrond said dipping his head slightly in a gesture of acknowledgement and tightening his grip on Elrohir.
Galadriel, Celeborn and a few other Lorien elves took in silently Elrohir wet, muddy, sobbing form and Elrond pinched expression.
"I'm afraid you caught us at a bad…" Elrond stopped and glared hard at a blonde elf Rumil the brother of the March Warden Haldir. He had to check himself from dropping Elrohir.
"What do you think you were doing? Scaring us like that?" Elrond placed Elrohir on the floor and a few quick strides took a small elfling out of Rumil's arms. The little elfling shuddered and his eyes filled instantly with tears. Elrond feeling anxious and surprising angry (despite always keeping his cool over the brash actions of his own twin sons), kneeled beside Elemmire.
Elemmire glanced back nervously at the Lorien elves as if they might be able to get him out of trouble. To stop his hands from shaking too badly Elemmire pulled various twigs from his long raven locks, his braids had long been loosened.
Elrohir had glanced up by this time, wiped his eyes and whipped Elemmire into his arms. "Where have you been?"
Elemmire sniffled and looked pleadingly to Rumil who grinned despite himself and glanced to his brother Orophin who was uncharacteristically sulking.
"I thought he was a balrog," Elemmire's voice quaked as he pointed a shaking finger at Orophin.
"A balrog, really! I know I'm not the prettiest elf in this world. Humph really what are you Rivendell elves teaching your youngsters?" Orophin grumbled glaring at Rumil and Haldir in turn.
"So I climbed a tree," Elemmire finished still anxiously watching Orophin as if he might pounce and bight him. "And got stuck."
Rumil snickered and flashed a grin at Elemmire. "We then sent Orophin up to get him… erm… the little one can put up a fight when threatened."
"Stupid elfling," Orophin murmured rubbing his nose. "I think it is broken!"
"It's not broken," Haldir admonished calmly, "Stupid you for threatening him."
"It was a beautiful punch," Rumil reminisced. "Pity you didn't fall out of the tree."
Orophin glanced at Elrond and Elrohir who were enrapt by the tale and decided to finish it off quickly. "So we sent the prettiest of our number up the tree to retrieve him and no it wasn't Lady Galadriel." He glanced significantly at his younger brother and smirked, it was Rumil's turn to glower.
"Ada you're wet." Elemmire decided it was time to inform Elrohir of his unlordly appearance.
"Ada?" The Lorien elves glanced meaningfully at Elrond and Elrohir to explain.
"What haven't you told us, Elrond my old friend?" Lord Celeborn inquired.
"Peace, love, Elrond has hardly had time to inform us of the new additions to the family." Galadriel lightly tapped the top of Elemmire's head lightly and the little elfling blushed.
"I believe his brother is amusing himself with your chess set while Elladan watches on. Oh… the poor kings…"
Before Galadriel could say any more. Elrohir about faced and raced down the corridor to rescue his chess set leaving Elemmire to look up at Galadriel and Celeborn with wide innocent eyes.
"It has been a long day. Anyone for a drink?" Elrond asked drawing Elemmire close.
"Make it strong," was Orophin's only reply.
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Love me for updating? I thought I would make this a little funnier than my pervious naughtly angsty chapter where I had some of you thinking Elemmire had drowned. Wasn't that naughty of me?
Anyway way do you guys say to an another story of these two pesky twins when they're a little older and wiser… but not too wise? Let me know cause I'll have to come up with a better plot than this little plot bunny!
And sorry to any special Orophin fans! He he he!