Disclaimer: Man you'd think since the twins were only a very small part that they'd at least let me have one. But no. Not mine.

Review Responses:

Karone Evertree: Yes they will be in the next story. I promise. But the part about no tears might not be true after you read this chapter. I promise this story will definitely bring out my true evil self. Starting in the next chapter. Mrhahaha.

Larien: I can't believe I misspelled her name. I even looked it up so I'd get the symbol over the I right, and I still misspelled it. Thanks for pointing it out. I fixed it. And yes the twins will eventually regret teaching Van their pranks.

Slayer3: I'll have to get you some more ice cream. Atavus ate it. I'll be looking forward to your update my preciousssss. Ah the dreaded summer school. Went once, hated it.

Lintered: Time to do a happy dance. No more school, no more school. Can burn all the algebra books, and stuff the teachers in your locker. (Ooops. Sorry teachers. I guess we'll let you go home too. Why do we really need algebra anyway?)

Author's Note: In this chapter I make time references as to how long it would take to get from Rivendell to Lorien. I wish to stress that these are just guesses on my part. I know in Tolkien's book it states that it took the fellowship 40 days I do believe to reach the Redhorn pass on foot. (I think that's right.) But anyway just keep in mind that my distances and timeframes are guesses only. Don't fry me please if I have no clue.

Campfire

"If we are to make it through before the weather turns bad we will have to take the Redhorn Pass." Elladan suggested with a scowl upon his face. A similar scowl covered the face of his twin.

Atavus could see the set of his jaw and knew the reason for his trepidation. "Are you sure we could not make for the Gap of Rohan, and still make it in time?" She asked.

"No that would add way too much time." Elrohir said staring up into the mountains.

They had started out on horseback which would have put them there a fortnight before, but shortly after leaving Rivendell Veri's horse had come up lame, and they had been forced to double up with Van in front of Elladan, and Veri behind Atavus. Then they had been caught in a lightning storm, which had spooked Atavus' mount who promptly dumped the women and then ran. That left two horses and five riders. Not a good number. So they were now forced to walk the rest of the way, which would put them out in the wild for at least another week, taking the Redhorn pass, but going by the Gap of Rohan would add at least three weeks on to that. The twins were right they could not afford the longer route this close to the winter months.

The Redhorn Pass itself was not that difficult to navigate. It took them along a lower path through the Misty Mountains, but the twins had more on their minds than bad weather or difficult paths. This Pass was where their mother had been taken by the orcs that tortured and nearly killed her. It would not be too long before they would be near to the cave that they had found their mother being held in. It had been a long time since they had taken this pass over the mountains, and they did not enjoy the prospect of taking it on foot prolonging the dreading feeling they both felt.

Atavus knew the story. Estel had told it to her the first year that she had lived in Rivendell, which had explained the coldness the twins had originally felt towards her. She hated to now be the reason that the old ghosts were dredged up.

But even worse she felt a horrible dreading feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was as if she was being tied in knots, and it became worse the further along the path they went. Even the normally bubbly Van was subdued and would not speak a word. Veri had not asked why the elves were so somber, but even she had a scowl drawn on her face.

Atavus was beginning to wish that Legolas and Gimli had not left Rivendell before they had. The friendly bantering between the two friends would have gone a great distance towards lightening the mood at that moment, but she could not expect them to stay with her forever. They each had their own lives to lead, as did she.

"We must camp soon." Elladan suggested scouting the distance ahead with his sharp Elven eyes for a clearing in the path large enough to make a sufficient camp in.

Veri looked around the rock walls surrounding them leading up the mountainside. "Why don't we find a cave among the rocks? It might be safer." She suggested.

"I'm sorry my Lady, but we would not camp in the caves in this part if we hadn't taken rest for a year." Elrohir said bitterly, and then moved ahead helping his brother to find a good spot.

Veri looked shocked at the clipped tone the elf had used with her. Never had she heard a harsh word from one of the twins. She stared ahead not moving.

"Don't take it personally Veri. This is a bad place for the twins. They will not be happy until we leave these mountains. And I don't blame them." Atavus tried to explain without revealing the twins personal pain. She couldn't do that to them. She had felt guilty when Estel had told her, but it had gone a long ways towards understanding the twin's ill feelings towards her, and overcoming them. "Please Veri, just leave it at that." She pleaded with her friend to understand.

"All right. If that's the way it has to be." Veri said nodding and starting off in the direction that the twins had headed.

Van looked to Atavus and shrugged his shoulders. He seemed to understand better than Veri that adult's attitudes could change so easily. She followed him through the passes keeping her sharp eyes trained towards the mountainside surrounding them.

They camped in a small clearing where the twins made a fire. The five travelers sat in silence staring into the fire after they had consumed their meager rations. That was another problem with traveling on foot. They had not brought nearly enough rations for a journey on foot, and the animal and plant life in the area was scarce. Atavus had begun to wish that she had never decided to undertake this journey. It seemed cursed from the beginning.

She looked to the twins staring into two sets of identical grey eyes. They were not paying attention to their fellow companions so she was able to study them for a while. They sat near each other almost touching, and they both wore the same expression on their faces. She would describe it as melancholy. She was sure they were thinking of her. If she were in their position she would also have been thinking along those lines.

She wanted somehow to lift their spirits. "El, Ro can you tell me about your grandmother?" She asked using the nicknames Estel had called them by as a child.

They both seemed startled for a moment, but recovered quickly. "What would you like to know?" Elladan asked.

"What is she like?" Atavus asked.

"She's beautiful." Elladan said first.

"She's wise." Elrohir added.

"It seems as if she knows everything." Elladan said with a smile.

"I already assumed that." Atavus chuckled. "And her mirror. What is it like?" Atavus asked about the mirror that showed the Lady visions.

"It isn't actually a mirror. It's a stone basin that she fills with water." Elrohir volunteered.

"Does it really show the future?" Van asked becoming interested in the subject.

"It shows many things Van. It sometimes shows the past, the present, or the possible future. But nothing is certain." Elladan explained.

"I can understand that." Veri whispered wrapped in her own thoughts of the vision she had, had of Ugluk killing Atavus.

Atavus looked to her friend realizing what her thoughts were. She had told Veri of how Ugluk had helped them escape Minas Morgul, and she had always felt guilty about killing Van's father. "Veri if you had not done what you did that vision would have came true. Remember that." She said squeezing her friend's hand.

"I know. I just wish things had been different." Veri said shaking her head wanting to shake the morbid thoughts from her mind.

The twins watched the exchange between the friends, not understanding. Veri could see the confused look on their faces. She decided then that if the twins were to ever trust and accept her she could not keep secrets. "Van would it upset you if I told them what happened at Minas Morgul?" She asked the small boy not wanting to bring up bad memories for him.

"No Veri. I'm okay with what happened." Van answered moving to sit on her lap and snuggled deep into her arms.

She smiled at the boy. She knew he was trying to comfort her with his presence. She looked up to the twin's patient faces, and then started. "I had a vision during the situation at Minas Morgul. I saw Ugluk kill Atavus."

She paused seeing the shocked look on their faces. When she could see the shock pass some she continued on. "I did not realize at the time that it was the future I was seeing and it hadn't already happened. I stabbed him, and then realized she still lived."

"I am positive that I would have died if not for her." Atavus interjected.

"It wasn't until later that I learned that Ugluk followed Atavus after Van ran off. He showed them a secret way out of Minas Morgul. He saved their lives in the end, but was too injured to make it out himself. I do not regret stopping him from hurting Atavus, but I just wish things could have been different. After all he was one of us." She said sighing deeply.

"One of you?" Elladan questioned.

"He was a throwback." Atavus decided to explain the rest. "Somehow he managed to get the looks of an orc, but inside he was no different from Van and I."

"Yes he was different Atavus. He was cruel. He was a murderer. He was nothing like you." Elladan became agitated, bolting to his feet and walking away.

Van started to whimper at his words. He knew his father had done bad things, but he hated to think of them.

Elladan looked to the boy and realized what he had done. "I'm sorry Van." He said kneeling before him. "I know he was your father. I just saw him do things that are hard to forget." He said pulling the boy into his arms. "In the end he did what was right by you and that's all that matters now." He whispered stroking the boy's hair.

"I'm sorry he did bad things to you Elladan." Van whispered with a half choked sob.

"No Van! You have nothing to be sorry for. I am fine as are those I love. I am just happy that the Valar have seen fit to bring you and Veri to us. My life would not be as happy without you. Don't ever feel that you have to apologize for something that you can not control." Elladan hugged the boy closer wishing he could kick himself for his outburst.

"Van I am sure that if your father had, had the opportunity to grow up like the elves did that he would have not done those horrible things. It was not his fault that he was raised to hate." Atavus said what she had truly come to believe since leaving Minas Morgul. She had seen something in Ugluk that few did. Compassion. She knew the twins would not believe her, but it mattered not as long as Van did.

Elladan looked in her eyes but spoke to Van instead. "I'm sure your aunt is right, Van. Don't you worry about it anymore."

Her eyes whispered a silent 'Thank you' for letting the boy's dreams stay alive. He just nodded.

Author's Note: Yes I know I made Elladan mean for a moment there, but I promise you it's just stress. He's really the sweetest guy, I promise. Okay next chapter we get to see some excitement.