Disclaimer:I don't have the brilliance to be the dead guy in question. Or his son.

Brief Plot Summary: Elrohir and Elladan's reaction to our favorite ranger and elf couple and the first meeting of Gandalf and Aragorn.

Author's Note: I absolutely love Elrohir and Elladan in this ramble/drabble. They're so…devious. Read on to find out more…

Musings of Shieldmaidens and Kings

Of Sowing and Secrets

"Such masculinity in sowing, Estel," a sarcastic voice came from the shadows. A 20-year-old Aragorn tensed slightly in his hunched position by the fireplace. He looked up and relaxed considerably.

"My overcoat needs mending. It is quite worn since my latest travels."

"You look more and more ragged with every rip," another voice drawled.

A sudden theory struck the first voice. "Maybe he's purposely doing this," the first voice replied, "to appeal to our sister."

"What!" Aragorn protested defensively and hid his hand, which, until recently, bore the Ring of Barahir. "That is preposterous! Have you two been drinking too much Elven wine?"

Elrohir and Elladan exchanged evil grins.

"What are you planning?" Aragorn inquired slowly and clearly.

"Nothing that would hurt you. Now, Arwen on the other hand…"

"Who are you two? Celegorm and Curufin?" Aragorn's tone hinted to them to take their noses out of where they didn't belong or have something very unpleasant forced into those noses.

"Otorno, it was only good fun, we meant not to scare you. No, we are more the Huans of the Third Age, protecting Beren and Luthien from on-coming harm." There was a slight mocking tone in Elladan's voice and Aragorn's sharp ears caught it.

"Who told you? Was it my mother?" Aragorn stood up now, his eyes blazing in passion, his voice in a low growl.

"No, your own eyes betrayed you."

Aragorn's frame slouched, recognizing defeat.

"We have no intentions of telling Ada—"

"He may already know, though."

"You shall just have to take your chances—"

"Though I doubt he has not already noticed. You have been without your ring for a week."

"What are you doing hither then?" Aragorn asked curiously.

"Ah-ah-ah," Elrohir replied, waving his index finger with each 'ah.' "We ask the questions. But if you must know, we are hither to introduce you to a good friend of ours. He is known to the Elves as Mithrandir. He is one of the Maia and the keeper of the ring Narya. He can help you on your travels."

An old man entered on cue—not weak-and-feeble old, but aged-like-fine-wine old. His beard and hair were white and down past his waist. He wore a completely grey ensemble: a hat that was long, pointed, and curved in the back, a cloak, and a set of robes. Everything seemed gray by necessity, not for a fashion statement. The hat gave him a sense of anonymity; the only clues of a face was a beak-like nose sticking out from under the hat and a wooden, polished pipe giving off a steady stream of smoke.

"Could this be a servant of the Enemy?" Aragorn asked, suspicious.

"Estel!" Elladan said in faux-scandalized tones. "Do you not trust us?"

"I assure you, Aragorn," the grey clad figure answered, lifting the brim of his hat so he could see Aragorn's face, "if I was a servant of the Enemy, I would have killed you by now."

Aragorn stared into the figure's grey eyes and the figure stared back. After about five minutes of this, Elrohir and Elladan got bored of watching them.

"Yes," Elrohir began, his elbows resting on a table and his head in his cupped hands, "this is how Middle-Earth's fate will be decided. A staring contest."

Aragorn finally broke his gaze and glared at the twin brothers of his Elven love. He growled and muttered something about "finding a lie in his eyes."

"Well, clearly you haven't, so go off and do your adventuring!" Elladan demanded. "We have to get back to Rivendell. Ada thinks we're off hunting Orcs with you."

"I win then," the figure known as Mithrandir said, very businesslike. He shook Aragorn's hand. "Welcome to unlearning everything you have learned. I think this is going to be a beautiful friendship."

Reference Notes:

Celegorm and Curufin were two of the sons of Fëanor who temporarily trapped Luthien when she went to go save/find Beren. It's in The Silmarillion if you want to read about it.

Huan was the wolf that saved the temporarily trapped Luthien from Celegorm and Curufin. He also helped Beren and Luthien in other ways, but the above sense is how I meant it in. Also in The Silmarillion.