"And then you tuck it under here…" Elrond demonstrated. "And you're done."

Elladan performed the task without difficulty. Elrohir, however, stuck the end of his rope under the wrong bit and managed to mess his attempt to make a knot up even more. Elrond was spending some quality time with his sons and teaching them the knots they would need later in life. Elladan had a face of stone, a look of grim determination on his face. If he made a mistake, he would quickly right it without any fuss. Elrohir, however, couldn't even make the simplest of knots and gave a growl of frustration with each mistake. The larger the mistake, the louder the growl. He was annoyed more than he'd ever been by this time, and his knot was a huge tangled ball of rope.

Elrond sensed his son's annoyance. "You must have patience, Elrohir. I did not get it on my first try."

Elrohir stared at his ball and then at Elladan's perfect knot. "I'm trying Ada. I'm trying to get it right. I'm trying to be patient, but…" He glanced back at his ball and then at Elladan's once more. "I can't get it."

"It's easy." Elladan reached over and began to untangle the ball. Elrohir glared at him. Why couldn't he ever get anything right the first time like Elladan? Elladan always did everything first. He got his play sword first, his small bow and arrow, (and even mastered them both easily where as Elrohir had to work for hours on end) and now that stupid knot! It shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did, but he couldn't help it.

"I don't need your help." Elrohir said rather forcefully and took his ball of rope back.

"But it's so easy. Let me he-" He reached for the ball again, but Elrohir held it tight to his chest.

"I don't need your help." Elrohir repeated, trying to control his temper. He had never been so angry in all of his short life. He had never been angry at all.

Elrond could see where this was going, and to be honest, he did not want to deal with it. He glanced at the sky. It was going to rain soon, and when it did it would most likely be a storm. They should probably go inside. But knowing, Elrohir he wouldn't want to go inside until he got it right. So he would have to create an excuse.

He picked up Elrohir and slung him over his shoulder. "Come along, Elrohir, it is time for your lessons."

Elladan followed his father and brother, smirking at Elrohir. Elrohir stuck his tongue out at him. His anger was slowly ebbing away, a calm overtaking him. He glanced at the ball, which he still held in his hands. Perhaps he should try to untangle it and then try again. He glanced at Elladan as a plan formed in his head. Oh yes, he could try again.


"You were mad at me today." Elladan said suddenly. Elrohir winced and burrowed deeper under his covers.

"Go to sleep, El." He muttered.

"Why were you mad at me?" Elladan sat up and looked at Elrohir's form. Elrohir gave a fake snore. Elladan threw his pillow at him. "I know you're awake!"

Elrohir didn't respond.

"Tell me why you were mad!" he persisted

"It doesn't matter." Elrohir muttered.

Elladan stared at the small lump that was his brother. 'But it does matter!' he wanted to say, but he didn't. 'I'll just talk to him tomorrow morning' Elladan thought determinedly. 'I'll ask him what I did and then I'll apologize for it. Nana said that apologizing always works. Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll say I'm sorry.'

Elrohir lay very still before he could hear his brother breathing evenly, and then rolled over. He stared at the wall, willing sleep to come to him. It was difficult, for the rain Elrond had predicted had turned into a full blown storm and it was quite loud. And Elrohir did not like thunderstorms. But, he thought as he heard another crash, he would not run to his mother and father's room like a baby. If Elladan didn't have to then neither would he.

But as a streak of white went across the sky and the clouds emitted the loudest crash yet, Elrohir jumped up, scrambled out of the too big bed, and ran down the hall to his parent's room. Elladan stayed soundly asleep not hearing any of this.

He skidded to a stop in front of the door and quietly went in.

"Nana?" He called softly. "Ada?"

His father (who had been awake since the door had opened) slowly rose into an upright position and his mother woke also and rose onto her elbows.

"Elrohir? Is something the matter?" Elrond asked tiredly.

"Well-I-" Elrohir shuffled his feet. "The storm-it-it-well, it's quite loud, and-"

Celebrian smiled and drew aside the covers. "Alright, you may sleep with us tonight."

Elrohir sighed, relieved, and jumped into the bed and dove underneath the covers. He snuggled up to his parents. "Goodnight Ada, goodnight Nana."

"Goodnight Elrohir, may your dreams be peaceful." Elrond whispered, smoothing his son's hair.


Elladan watched his brother carefully. Elrohir was hunched over, the ball of knotted rope from yesterday in his hands. He was apparently searching for the end, so he could undo it. Elladan wanted to grab the ball out of his brother's hands and untie the knot himself. Elrohir was so slow at everything. The only thing he was better at than Elladan was reading. Elladan had patience for activities involving movement, but he had none when it came to books.

When Elladan had woken up this morning, he had discovered that his brother was not in the bed across the room. This had puzzled him, because he knew that his brother was afraid of the thunder and usually when he was scared, he either woke Elladan up and then went back to sleep or woke up Elladan and dragged him into their parents room with him. But Elrohir hadn't been there when he had woken up and when he had found out that Elrohir had run to his parents without even waking him up, he had felt hurt. But now, he decided, was a good time to ask about what he'd done wrong yesterday. So he could fix everything.

"Why were you mad?"

Elrohir's head shot up. "What?"

"Why were you mad yesterday?" Elladen asked. "I want to know so I can apologize."

"It wasn't anything you could control." Elrohir snapped. He curled back up, turning the ball over and over.

"I don't like it when you get mad, El." Elladen said quietly. "I don't like it at all."

Elrohir bit his lip. If he listened to his brother-his sweet, kind, and caring, innocent, perfect brother-for any longer, he was going to burst. He dropped the ball from his hands. It bounced on the floor and rolled over to Elladen. "Go away, Elladen."

Elladen picked up the ball and stared wide-eyed at his twin. "What?"

"Go away." Elrohir repeated. Before Elladen could move, Elrohir got up out of his chair and walked out of the room. He needed to get away. His brother was so much better. He was everyone's favorite. It was always the same with visitors. "Elladen, you're getting so big! You're going to be a great Elf someday…Oh, Elrohir. I didn't see you. You look taller."

He was his brother's shadow. Elrohir sniffled. Why couldn't he be the one everybody loved? Why did he have to go unnoticed? He was about to start crying when he heard his parent's talking inside his father's study. Though he knew he shouldn't, he pressed his ear to the door.

"Everyone is afraid of thunderstorms when they are young, Elrond." That was his mother.

"Yes, but Elladen outgrew his fear years ago." And that was his father.

"We are not talking about Elladen, we are talking about Elrohir." Celebrian said gently.

"He is too old to be afraid of thunderstorms."

"He is nine years old, Elrond!" Celebrian said a little too harshly.

"I know how old my son is." Elrond said rather loudly.

"It doesn't mean something is wrong with him because he is scared of thunder."

"I never said there was anything wrong with him!" He cried defensively.

"Then why are you saying he is too old?"

"Because he is! Elladen-"

Celebrian sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, we know Elladen stopped being afraid. We know Elrohir has not. Why does that matter so much to you?"

"Elrohir is so far behind Elladen. Do not tell me you cannot see it. He could not tie knots yesterday, Celebrian! Should that not worry you?"

"I am not worried about him. Your children do not all have to be prodigies."

There was a slam. "I said nothing about prodigies!"

"You do not see Elrohir as a person, Elrond! You see him as a shadow-Elladen's shadow. A shadow that needs to be as good as the real thing! Have you seen his tutor's reports? He thrives when he is surrounded by knowledge! There is nothing wrong with our son if he does not like physical activities."

There was silence. Elrohir wanted to cry even more. Did his father love him less as well? His mother seemed to be the only one who cared about him. Elrohir started to cry. He tried to be quiet, but soon he was sobbing loudly. The door to his father's study opened.

"What-" Elrond froze. "Elrohir."

"I'm sorry I can't be Elladan!" Elrohir managed between sobs, before turning and running away.

"Elrohir!" his father called after him.

It didn't matter. He was gone.


Elrohir wiped his eyes. He was high in the tree in the courtyard. He liked being up here. He could see the people beneath him walking around, and all the while they couldn't see him. It was like he was spying on everyone. It was fun. And it was something that Elladan couldn't do very well. Be quiet.

It surprised Elrohir when he saw his brother walk on the path beneath him and sit down next to the very tree he was hiding in. He was holding what clearly was Elrohir's sorry excuse for a knot, and then (to Elrohir's surprise) he easily untangled it and stared at it.

"I don't get it." He muttered quietly, and even with his natural Elven hearing Elrohir could barely hear him. "It's just a stupid knot. Why was Ro' so upset?"

Elrohir couldn't help but feel a little guilty for that one. It was clear that Elladan was sorry. But the only problem was that he didn't know what he was sorry for, and that was what bothered him.

He was hoping that Elladan would get up and walk away, but he didn't. He just sat there. He had been sitting there for at least 15 minutes (while Elrohir's legs began to cramp up) when it seemed that the warmth from the sunshine got to him and he slowly fell asleep.

This was a good thing, for now if Elrohir climbed down the tree quietly he could 'escape' without being noticed.

But now that Elrohir was safely on the ground, he didn't want to disappear, he wanted to grab that stupid rope and tie that knot. So he carefully grabbed the rope and tied a simple knot. And then another, and then another, and another. Until finally he decided to tie the knot they had been learning yesterday and…he did it. He didn't understand how he was now so easily able to tie it, but he did.

Elrohir looked at the knot, and then at Elladan, slowly remembering the plan that he had thought of yesterday. And now that he thought about it, this was a perfect time to put it in action…


Elrond had searched for his youngest son for about an hour, but could not find him. And although she had not said anything, he knew that Celebrian was mad at him. As much as he wanted to keep looking for him, he couldn't because as Lord of Imladris, there were things he had to attend to, and though his family always came first, he had a feeling that Elrohir needed some space

The only sound that could be heard in Elrond's study were the birds outside chirping as they usually did after a big storm, until a small Elfling screamed at the top of his lungs, "ADA!"

Elrond tore out of the study, worry piercing his heart, immediately thinking that something horrible had happened to one of his sons.


As Elrond neared the spot where the cry had come from, he found that neither of his sons were in danger. In fact, one of them was tied to a tree, trying to unsuccessfully untie himself and the other was standing next to him grinning broadly.

"See Ada, I can tie my knots!" Elrohir cried.

Elrond sighed in relief and dropped to his haunches and pulled Elrohir into a hug. After he let go he said,

"Elrohir, I owe you an apology." Elrond looked at both of them. "Actually I owe both of you an apology."

"What for?" Elladan asked forgetting his struggle against the ropes.

"Well," Elrond said carefully, sitting down and patting the ground next to him for Elrohir to sit down on. "Lately it seems I've been thinking of you two as one person who should be able to do everything the same way, at the same time, and at the same pace."

"Like with the knots?" Elrohir asked, staring at his hands.

Elrond nodded. "That's right. I got worried, I think Elrohir that you weren't doing as well as your brother. And it took a little wake up call from you for me to realize that it doesn't matter. You both are two totally different people, and I respect that greatly."

Elrohir smile and threw his arms around his father. "But I can tie my knots now, Ada!"

Elrond laughed. "I can see that. And I'm very proud of you, but I think," He lowered his voice to a whisper, "that we have to untie your brother."

Elrohir nodded solemnly. "I think so too."

"Yes, can you please untie me now?" Elladan pleaded.

Elrohir giggled and climbed out of his father's lap. He quickly untied the knots. Elladan shook the ropes off, but before he could do anything else, he was locked in a Death Hug from Elrohir.

"I'm sorry for being mad." Elrohir said.

"I'm sorry for making you mad, though I'm still not sure how." Elladan hugged his brother back.

Elrond smiled at his sons. Yes, they were completely different people, and he had been a fool not to see it. "Come along boys, let's go get a treat from the kitchen."

They squealed with excitement as he picked them both up and carried them inside. Life was back to normal. Or so they thought.


Changes began to take place in Elrond's household. Mostly, it was Elrohir who was changing. He wasn't afraid of thunderstorms anymore. And he liked to play tricks on people. Though he was not much of a fighter, he had a way of making people laugh. He also had a way of coming up with crazy schemes and dragging his brother into them. And so began the start of the misadventures.


Hello little people. Or not so little people depending on what you look like. This would be Liz, who is the co-authoress of this new story.

So here's the dealio. We thought it would be fun if we wrote a fic that was a bunch of stories that made the twins the fun loving peeps that we all know and love today. I know, I've read a lot of these kind of fics before and this first chapter seemed kind of angsty, but if you've read any of CB's fics over here, then you'll know it'll be loads of laughs…so…here's a word from CB.

Aw, I get an intro! Thanks Liz. So, this is a just a prologue to the main storyline…not that there is a storyline. But this just shows how Elrohir became a prankster and sets the stage for all the crazy things they did while they were little Elflings. So that's the gist of it.

Private Lizzie and CB signing out (salutes)