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Double, Double
Sequel to Elemmire and Amdir
Chapter Two. Lord Elrond's Warning
Elemmire was so excited by the prospect of their trip to Lothlorien that he packed his bags three days before they were due to leave. Of course this lead him to unpack several times to find items that he needed. Needless to say this drove Amdir to near insanity to be awakened every morning by Elemmire searching in his bag for his comb. But Elemmire asserted that he wanted to be prepared for the morning of their journey.
Finally the day they were due to leave for the other elvish realm arrived. Elemmire was up a few hours before he needed to be, which annoyed Amdir who felt he was forced to throw one of his cushions at his twin to enforce his point about reasonable hours of the morning.
Despite the fact he was lying on his bell and his nose buried in his other cushions Amdir's aim was perfect. The cushion flew through the air and smacked a laughing Elemmire toppling in off his bed and onto the floor.
"Come on, lazy bones," Elemmire cried. Not to be out witted by his twin he jumped onto Amdir's bed and bounced up and down.
"Argh… can't an elf get a decent sleep around here?" Amdir exclaimed before diving onto Elemmire and tackling him on the floor.
"Nope," Elemmire giggled wiggling his eyebrows at Amdir as if daring him into a mock battle.
"No," a voice interjected from the doorway. The twins glanced at the entrance to their chambers to see Erestor leaning on the door frame.
"Eh?" Amdir questioned with a quizzical look on his face.
Erestor forced back the urge to roll his eyes. "It is 'no' not 'nope' and 'pardon' not 'eh'. You are now young gentlemen not mortal riffraff and should speak as such."
"Yup, Erestor, I understand," Elemmire replied with an innocent smile, which clearly said I'm enjoying teasing you. "Don't we Am?"
"Ah –ha," Amdir drawled exenterating the syllables picking up his twin's thought process.
"You two are the bane of my existence," Erestor sighed crossing his arms against his chest. He glanced from brother to brother carefully marking the slight physical difference of the twins before continuing. In the end however his elvish sight failed him and he reverted to the aid that only Elemmire would voluntarily braid his hair, (Amdir only bothered if he was coerced since the day he attempted to give himself a short haircut he maintained he hated braids).
"Amdir get off your brother," Erestor said sternly.
"Hey how did you tell us apart?" Elemmire inquired as Amdir slowly tumbled off him.
"You have braids in your hair, stupid," Amdir replied.
"Oh. Well thanks to you I have to start again…stupid."
"Enough elflings!"
Both Elemmire and Amdir stared at Erestor who normally was patient with them.
"You are the grandsons of Lord Elrond, for Valar's sake act it!"
Elemmire's jaw literally dropped to the floor. "Honestly Erestor we were only…"
Erestor snorted dismissively. "Lord Elrond wishes to see you both." The next moment the secretary had turned on his heel and disappeared.
"What's up with him?" Elemmire murmured.
Amdir glanced out the window however and saw the light drizzle of rain outside and the thin curtain of mist. "It's the wet weather. It always makes him grumpy," he replied.
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Amdir stifled his yawn as Elemmire rapped on Elrond's study door. When he heard no answer he opened the door slightly. "Ellie!" Amdir hissed. "You haven't been invited in."
"I know you are there. Come in and shut the door," Elrond's voice called out gravely. Elemmire raised his eyebrows at Amdir and smirked. Amdir was happy to answer by poking out his tongue but Elemmire had already opened the door and swept in. With a large sigh, Amdir followed and closed the door softly.
"Good morn Iauradar," the young twins said in unison.
Elrond, whom had his back to them, pivoted around. The young elves could see that the elvish lord had been deep in thought when they had disturbed him.
"You wished to see us, Iauradar?" Elemmire inquired.
"We can leave if we are a nuisance," Amdir offered in turn.
"No I wish to speak with you." Elrond gestured to a pair of seats with a flourish of his hand. The twins merely nodded and sat silently waiting for Elrond to continue. It was odd that Elrond should seem so wrapped up in his thoughts; it was as if he was not thinking to his usual capacity.
Elrond blinked suddenly coming out from his stupor. "I expect that you will both follow your Ada's or any other elf's direction without argument."
"Yes, Iauradar," the twins agreed bobbing their heads.
"There will be no fooling about."
"No, Iauradar."
"And if…" Elrond faltered. "And if by any chance you are separated from the escort you're to make your way to the nearest elvish kingdom."
"Of course, Iauradar."
"And you'll use your common sense at all times."
"Ah – ha."
Elrond sighed and picked up a piece of parchment off his desk. "Just in case." Elemmire glanced to Amdir, who stood and took the parchment from Elrond.
"It's a map," Amdir stated staring up into Elrond's face which was passive and did not hint at anything in particular.
"Just in case… Now come and farewell your Iauradar."
Elemmire stood swiftly to join Amdir in Elrond's warm embrace. Elrond kissed each twin in turn on the brow. "Stay safe," he murmured. "And may the valar keep you safe."
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Amdir hastily tucked the map into the top pocket of his jerkin as he and Elemmire hastily made their way to the courtyard. There was unmistakable bounce in Elemmire's step so Amdir didn't confide with his twin his worry. Lord Elrond had not seemed his usual self.
"Bah!" Elemmire said suddenly beside him. "Iauradar is being protective. We've never left Rivendell."
Amdir nodded guiltily he had not wished to convey through their bond that he was concerned about their grandfather.
"I suppose you are right as usual," Amdir grinned.
Elemmire returned his grin. "Do you think Gwador-adar will spar with me?"
"Oh you will never win," Amdir said in exasperation.
"I might in a thousand years or so."
Amdir snorted. "You can't even beat me."
"Can…"
"…not."
"Can…"
"…not….."
"Can, can, can…"
"What an earth are you two arguing about now?" Elrohir asked as he approached the arguing twins from behind and draped an arm around their shoulders.
"Elemmire thinks he can bet me in a spar," Amdir said.
"I bet I could," Elemmire rejoined hotly. "Besides you could never bet me in archery."
"Yes well you spend too much time on the archery fields and the smithy…"
"Ah my sons you are both truly gifted," Elrohir sighed contently.
Elemmire grinned up at him in his green blue eyes shone unmistakeable hero worship. "When we are older you cannot possibly leave us to rot at home while you go on grand adventures. We'll merely follow you."
Amdir nodded. "Well you know how stubborn Ellie can be, Ada. I would positively have to follow him. Besides who would look after him, if not me?"
Elrohir forced a small smiled onto his lips trying to hide the concern from his twins'. "Well you are both young yet."
"Not for long, Ada," Elemmire said.
Elrohir sighed heavily and dejectedly looked away from the excitement from Elemmire's hopeful face. 'I regret that young one, for what you speak of is too true.'
Elrohir remained silent listening as the two elflings conversed quickly and marvelled once more how quickly they had picked up the elvish language. Admittedly it had been some time since they first arrived in Imladris but it never ceased to surprise him how well they spoke for elflings of their age.
They left the Last Homely House and stepped into the cool morning air. The twins' conversations ceased almost immediately when they saw who else was accompanying them.
"Uncle Estel…Uncle Estel…!" two voices called out and the twins tore out of Elrohir's grip and raced to the waiting human. Poor Estel as he was known only to the young elves was nigh knocked over by the twins' enthusiasm.
"Are you coming too, Uncle Estel?" Elemmire demanded.
"Will you spar with me?" Amdir wanted to know.
"Can you teach me to sneak up on Ada?" the twins asked in unison before bursting out in laughter.
A smile tugged on Elrohir's lips. Elemmire and Amdir had not mastered to communicate telepathically with conscious effort. Often they would say something simultaneously or finish each other's sentence but that was pure instinct. Needless to say Erestor found this more irritating than silent communication he said it confused the identity of the twins in his eyes.
Estel glanced up and nodded in Elrohir's direction his eyes were glinting playfully. "I believe your Ada would love me to teach you how to sneak up on him!"
Elrohir who had been gazing distantly, a sure sign that Elladan was communicating with him, started and smiled.
"Yes," Elrhoir agreed absently. "That would be nice."