We Reap What We Sow
Kuramagal
Authors Notes: Okay this chapter took FOREVER and for that I'm sooo sorry. Exams came and decided that making me insane would be amusing. I'm still laughing….ha. Anyway, thank you to those of you who reviewed, Kalisona, kitsune and Minage you'll are amazing! Ummm…oh yeah, the chapter! Well this chapter is going to feature a perplexed Glorfindel, a murderous Estel and co., and a bamboozled Elrond. Sound interesting?
As far as updates are concerned, this will NEVER happen again! It ridiculous that I made you all wait. Sorry again! Next time I promise it will be sooner. Or you all may feel free to kill me with a rabid warg. readers grab leashes Anyway, on with the show!
Summary: An ordinary day in Rivendell turns to pandemonium when the twins seek to avenge an old grudge. How will everyone survive their wrath? And what is lurking beyond the safety of the Last Homely House?
Warning: None … yet.
Chapter Two: Dangling Elf Lords
Glorfindel thought he had heard and seen everything. He was a several thousand year-old elf lord, and had seen his fair share of unusual things in his day. After all, very few people, mortal and elven alike, could say that they saw the fall of Gondolin and lived to tell the tale. Well if he was going to be technical about the whole ordeal, he really didn't survive the whole journey, but he wasn't in a technical mood. Anyway, of what he had survived of Gondolin's fall and the other assorted adventures he'd experienced, nothing compared to today's little episode with Lord Erestor. It had had been the proverbial icing on the cake. Erestor had actually gone mad. He, Glorfindel, had accomplished his one true goal in life, making the other advisor completely lose it. But now, as he put away all thirty-eight books that he had 'allegedly' taken out of the library, he wondered if it was actually a good thing.
He had always prided himself on knowing his enemy. Whether it was their battle tactics or their weapon choice, he could have written a book on them. For the gods' sake, he had fought in enough battles to know! But with Erestor, he had been thrown for a loop. The other advisor didn't use a sword or shield, nor did he have any certain battle tactics. Glorfindel stopped, a copy of The Fall of Great Civilizations clutched in his hand. Maybe that's where he had gone wrong, Glorfindel mused, maybe the other advisor did have a new and never before heard of battle tactic that he himself was not familiar with. It would be a first, but stranger things had happened.
Glorfindel entertained that thought for awhile. After all, he knew Erestor had once been a warrior. It hadn't been for long, but maybe in that short stretch of time, the advisor had discovered something about battle he never had. Glorfindel mentally shook his head. It wasn't a military tactic. He, of course, knew all of those. But the other elf knew something. After all, he, the Great Glorfindel of Gondolin, had been reduced to the minimal and boring job of a librarian by said other advisor. He knew the other elf must have known something.
He sighed yet again as he returned Great Battle Tactics Used in History. Erestor did have strange ways. Imagine, not being afraid of someone who was nearly twice your height and was trained with a blade and bow to the extent he was? It was absolutely preposterous! Had he, Glorfindel, known himself, he would find himself to be fierce and dangerous, quick-witted and … rather dashing … Glorfindel decided to drop the latter. While it was all well and true, he very much doubted that Erestor would say the same … or anything of the like.
Erestor was an interesting case, especially when he was sleep deprived and mentally unstable. Glorfindel was quite sure that the other advisor hadn't gotten more than two hours of sleep this week … or, if he was going to be technical again, in the previous week. It was an amazing feat, elf or otherwise, for him to be even standing. He himself knew that on two hours of sleep he would be fine, but then again his was trained in the military, and that was completely different.
Glorfindel heaved a satisfied sigh as he looked at his handiwork in the library. Every book was in its proper place … he was pretty sure. Sixty percent sure or so, and hey, that was better than half wasn't it? Glorfindel shrugged and decided to leave. Knowing his luck, Erestor would come in right now and in his sleep deprived insanity demand that he reorganized the entire library. Glorfindel's eyes scanned the never ending shelves of knowledge.
Yes, it was definitely time to leave, Glorfindel decided. On his way out, he debated taking a couple more books, just to annoy the other advisor, but decided against it. He didn't think Erestor mental sanity would prevail, after all the other advisor had threatened to kill him with a book.
He was just shutting the doors to the library, when he saw Elrond's sons and the Prince of Mirkwood coming up the stone stairs. Glorfindel watched them closely, trying to decide if they were up to something. After all, if the twins were on a rampage, it was better to know and be on his toes that to not. Glorfindel watched them closely analyzing their every move, they didn't look to terribly suspicious, however when they saw him the reaction on their faces told him everything. He was dead…
"Nice to see you out of the healing ward, Lord Glorfindel," Elladan said. Glorfindel noted that his lord's son looked like he might want to send him back. Of course Glorfindel knew he wouldn't. Besides the fact the young elf's father would highly disapprove of it, he knew the Elladan would rather get even on his own terms. Those terms of course being a well planned and well devised prank involve him … and most likely Erestor.
"Thank you, Elladan," Glorfindel said; he would play their little game, for now at least. "It was good timing though. After all it got me out of patrol," Glorfindel said, noted with some satisfaction the look on Estel's face. It was one that would have killed a wraith, had such a thing been possible. Glorfindel was well aware of the fact that Estel had been none too happy to have to go on patrol; Glorfindel believed that his actual statements had been unfit for polite company. Then again, he might not have heard them right as he had been rather drugged at the time. Regardless, he knew the young human was not pleased with his orders, and baiting the young mortal about it was to fun. "Do you know who ended up going in my place?" he asked coyly.
The twins and Legolas looked at their brother and friend who, by the looks of things, was doing everything short of biting his tongue off to keep himself from screaming. "Nope," Elladan said answering for his fuming younger brother. "No idea."
"Are you going to the feast tonight?" Legolas asked. Glorfindel noted the non-too subtle change of discussion. He understood why they did it; after all it wouldn't look good if the future king of men lost his temper and killed an elven advisor. Especially if said advisor was him, Lord Glorfindel renounced lord of Rivendell and Gondolin.
"Yes, of course. And yourselves?" he replied. He knew full well that the twins and prince would never miss a feast. There were too many young she-elves for them not to go.
"Yes," the quartet replied together.
"Well, then I suppose I'll see you there," Glorfindel suggested as he turned and began to walk away from them.
As he was leaving he distinctly heard Elladan's voice. "Oh yes," Elladan said, and then added in a soft and malicious tone. "We'll see you alright."
Glorfindel, of course, had elven hearing and therefore heard every word the older twin said, not that he was going to say anything. He just walked away, pretty sure that the younger elves and mortal were burning holes in the back of his tunic with their glares. Not that he cared. If there was one thing he knew, it was that the twins had never, ever managed to fully pull a prank on him, or at least a lasting one. After all, he had been the one to teach them just what a prank was.
He remembered that day fondly. It had begun rather dubiously. He had gone for his early morning archery only to find all of his arrows missing. He began to search around for the culprit, when he noticed a few feathers in the bottom of his quiver. Seconds later he deduced that they were a set of quills. When Glorfindel picked them up to examine them, he found a note below them that said:
Maybe you should practice something useful for a change.
Erestor – Esteemed Chief Advisor
Glorfindel remembered gaping at the message for a few minutes. How dare that elf steal his arrows! How dare he presume that he wasn't doing something useful! Archery was among the most useful things he could be doing! And he could think of a fair few that weren't … useful. But that didn't matter; he was still going to make the other pay in blood! So in retaliation, Glorfindel stole every last quill from Erestor's office and left a note that said:
I need to make new arrows, as all of mine have gone missing. Thought you wouldn't miss these feathers.
Glorfindel – Venerated Lord of Archery
He was just leaving the scene of the crime, when he saw two familiar heads bobbing up the steps. "Glorfindel, what are you doing?" One of the twins, Elladan perhaps, had asked. Glorfindel had explained that he was returning a favor to Erestor. He told the elflings that Erestor had 'borrowed' his arrows earlier this morning and now his was borrowing his quills.
"Does he know you borrowing them?" the other, Elrohir, asked.
Glorfindel fake smile fell a little; the twins were getting smarter. "No," Glorfindel admitted, "He doesn't know. But that's what will make this funny." Neither of the twins of course, were stupid and therefore they knew something was wrong with this picture. Since when did Erestor like to do archery and Glorfindel like to write? But they liked Glorfindel, he was much more fun as a teacher, and so they weren't going to tell on him for that simple reason.
"Will Erestor think its funny?" Elladan asked curiously.
Glorfindel smiled, "Why don't you stay here and see what he thinks?" he offered. Both twins nodded emphatically. They were always happy to be involved in 'grown-up' things. So they hid along with Glorfindel in the bushes just outside of Erestor's window.
Said advisor returned in few moments, it only took ten seconds or so for him to come storming out of his study and down the steps to the courtyard. His face set in a look of absolute fury. As he swept by Glorfindel and the twins hiding place the blond distinctly heard him mumble something along the lines of, "Glorfindel, death, disembowelment."
He had just been congratulating himself on a job well done, when he felt something slipped around his ankle.
Before he had a chance to react, he found himself strung upside down by one ankle, dangling a good five feet off the ground. Below him he saw two giggling twins and a very pleased looking Erestor. The advisor gave the twins a knowing smile and then proceeded towards the elf hanging from the tree.
"Did you borrow my quills?" Erestor asked casually, turning his head slightly to look the other in the face.
Glorfindel, who had still not gotten his bearings from being abruptly flipped, took a few moments to answer the chief advisors question. When he did his voice was light and happy as a lark, but the undertone had a dangerous dark tone. "It's possible, after all I was rather distraught over my arrows," Glorfindel said cheerfully, and then in retaliation he gave the other a look he knew would kill the dead. Or at least that's what he was trying to do, but then again it's a rather hard thing to do when one is strung up in a tree.
Erestor seemed to find his attempt at anger humorous, which only furthered Glorfindel's fury. "I can't believe that two elflings managed to capture the great Glorfindel of Rivendell. I will have to have Lindir compose a ballad of this incident, as it is indeed priceless," Erestor commented a malicious smile creping on to his face.
It was then that Glorfindel put two and two together. "You turned them against me!" Glorfindel protested flailing about and pointing to the twins who were giggling like mad to see their usually so poised teacher dangling from a tree.
"I did," Erestor stated simply. Though he was looking at the other advisor upside down, Glorfindel was quite sure that Erestor was smiling in a fiendish way that only he could accomplish. "You should have known better than to do what you did."
"What? Steal your robes? Please, that was payback!" Glorfindel said, looking as impressive and thunderous as anyone could who was strung up by his ankle from a tree.
"Oh?" Erestor said, raising a black eyebrow slightly. As can be imagined the argument progressed for several hours and only ended when Celebrian came and saw her sons listening to her husband two advisors, one of whom was still strung up in a tree, argue with each other. It wasn't the fact that they were arguing that upset her as much as that fact that their language had gradually progress during the argument. Needless to say, Celebrian wasn't pleased with any part of the situation in front of her. It was hardly appropriate for her husband's advisors to be shouting curses at one another, in every language they knew. She quite literally ordered Erestor to cut Glorfindel down and then took her sons and left the two advisors to their own devices.
The argument progressed even after the twins and the furious Celebrian left. And even though the twins didn't even hear half of the delightful things he and Erestor had done to each other, Glorfindel was quite sure that the twins had picked up on enough of the pranks that he and Erestor had played on each other in the past millennium to supply them for the next several years. He was also sure that they had stored each little one in their intelligent little minds to be used at another time and place.
Indeed just a week, found both him and Erestor strung up a large tree in the center of Rivendell. And while the two were bickering over just whose fault this was, Glorfindel distinctly saw a little black head rush by laughing, which was followed seconds later by an identical one. After that point in time, or at least since Elrond had come grumbling and cut them both down from the tree, Erestor and Glorfindel had become allies rather than enemies. It was hard after all to worry about another full grown elf lord, when you were watching for two very devious little twins.
As the twins got older, he and Erestor found that the pranks became less and less like ones they had done to each other. It appeared that as the twins got older, their pranks became older and more intense. It was no longer good enough to string them up in a tree, no now they had to be strung up in a tree naked as the day they entered this world.
Glorfindel shuddered at that thought. That whole day had been … interesting just didn't cover it, it was more along the lines of humiliating, an ordeal that would forever haunt them. Glorfindel nodded mentally, all of the previous Erestorisms seemed to work well for it. Funny, Glorfindel thought as he progressed down the stairs to Elrond's study, he had never realized how useful the other advisor was. Who else could coin terms for every abomination that the twins concocted to bring about their doom? Glorfindel had to admit, though they vexed him to the core of his being, he did like Elrond's sons. After all who else could have helped him bring Erestor the brink of insanity?
"I'm going to kill him," Estel said venomously to Elladan. The twin smiled at him and then clapped him on the back.
"That's the spirit!" Elladan said enthusiastically, as he wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulders. However, when Estel's mood didn't lighten, Elladan tried another tactic. "Killing Glorfindel may solve a lot of problems," Elladan began with the tone of an older brother.
"And it might make a lot of people happy!" piped Elrohir.
"True, true," Elladan continued, his face taking on a blissful expression. Then he became sober again. "However you must realize that it would greatly upset Ada. Besides our little plan is so much more…" Elladan paused as he looked for the words.
"Clever and vicious?" Elrohir supplied helpfully.
"Yes," Elladan agreed, "Very much so. Couldn't have put it better myself, thank you brother," Elladan commended, giving a little bow.
"Always," Elrohir said in acceptance, returning the bow. "Anyway, we have more important matter to attend to."
"Yes, and now that Estel has joined in our unending quest on the dear golden haired lord, it seems we'll have no trouble at all," his twin commented, giving his little brother a warm and fatherly smile. Estel seemed to have regain control of himself, for when he next spoke he no longer had the same extend of maliciousness in his voice.
"I don't know exactly what they did to you, and I don't care. All I want is to get even for patrol." Elrohir looked at his youngest brother, their was just something about the way the young human said those words that made him feel a shiver run up his spine. Then all of the sons of Elrond rounded on the only blond in the group. "Legolas?" Estel asked. "Are you ready to carry out the little plan?"
Legolas noted just how loaded that question was. "Of course," he replied. After all, what else could he say? It didn't matter to the twins that he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of Glorfindel and Erestor baying for his blood. In fact, the idea practically terrified him. Something the twins had told him about hanging from their ankles by the chandelier in the great room scared him slightly. But what else could he do?
"Then follow us," the twins
Legolas looked at Estel. "Do you know about the chandelier incident?" he asked in an undertone.
Estel gave his friend a comtemplating look. "Which one?" the mortal asked lightly.
There's more than one? Legolas wondered in horror. Just what did these Imladris elves do to one another? He was about to say something on the topic, when another voice interrupted him.
"Lord Erestor's room is up this hallway," Elladan pointed out to his brothers and friend. "Perhaps you would care to be quiet?" his suggestion was met with no remarks, save a few rolled eyes from his brothers.
The quartet walked to Lord Erestor's door, and then without blinking an eye walked right past it. Legolas sidestepped over toward Elrohir, and in a voice just above a whisper he asked. "Didn't you just say that that was Lord Erestor's study?" the blond wood elf asked, confusion evident in his tone.
"Yes," Elrohir replied, unfazed as they continued past the door and out into the sunlight. "But do you really think we want to just walk right into his room?" Legolas didn't reply and the both twins smirked at one another knowingly and said something that sounded suspiciously like 'wood-elves' to one another, before they rounded the corner and descended the stone staircase to the second floor. Then they made a sharp right and stepped into the library.
"Where are we going?" Legolas finally asked, as he looked around the vast library which surprisingly for its size, was empty. For their little plan to work they were going to need to actually be in Lord Erestor's office. The twins didn't respond, and judging by the quizzical looks Estel was throwing at his brother's backs, he didn't know either. Legolas sighed; he was just going to have to stick it out through another one of their infuriating 'knowledgeable' moments, even though he found them to be yank-the-hair-out-of-your-head annoying.
He followed both of the equally annoying twins through the entire library, all the while plotting gruesome deaths for them. He was just about to asking them just what exactly they were playing at, when they came to door at the very back of the library. The twins entered it and Legolas, who was expecting a secret passageway, was very disappointed to find it was just a tiny meeting room with a single large window in the back.
The twins however, seemed very pleased with the room. "What are you doing?" Estel finally asked, the twins didn't answer him. Instead Elladan pulled the window open and swung his leg out it.
Legolas was the first to realize what was happening. "You're going to climb into Lord Erestor's room!" he stated sounding completely dumbfound.
"Well done, Legolas. It only took you ten minutes to figure that out," Elladan commended, as he perched on the edge. He spoke very conversationally with the prince, though it was clear his mind was on other things. The first of which was making sure he didn't fall two stories and break his back. "And maybe you'd like to join us," Elladan continued, smiling as he found a tendril of ivy to climb up. "After all, you claim to be able to climb a tree; this can't be that different."
Legolas' eyebrows rose slightly. "That sounds like a challenge if I've ever heard one," Legolas retorted dryly. Both of the twin sons of Elrond smiled broadly.
"Maybe it is," Elrohir answered for his brother, who was currently hanging from the windowsill holding on to the ivy with one hand and groping with the other for a hold. "But if your claim on climbing is so great perhaps you want to take the challenge?" Elrohir finished temptingly just as Elladan's body disappeared from view.
Legolas gave him a scathing look and crossed to the window. Then with the nimbleness that his kind was known for, he leapt onto the ivy, he soon had a hold and seconds later he too was out of sight. Elrohir and Estel both looked at each other and smiled. It was easy to get Legolas to do anything, one only had to insult him or insinuate something about his race.
Elrohir turned to his little brother. "After you," he said giving a mock courteous bow. Estel noted that he was doing this quite often. Elves… Estel crossed to the window and with a little trepidation pulled himself up on to the ivy. It was a lot harder than he thought. The ivy was slippery from the storm the previous night. Estel laughed in spite of himself, even though the storm was long over it seemed it was still out to get him.
He got a hold of the ivy and hoisted himself up. Above him, Elladan and Legolas were about fifteen and ten feet up, respectively. The two elves moved with grace and poise that he could never hope to match. He remembered being a child and watching them ride horses or climb trees or do any of the things that they would do. He was always so jealous of their ability.
Estel got so caught up in thinking about Elladan and Elrohir that when he felt a pull on the vines below him, he almost let go of his vine in fright. He looked below and saw Elrohir climb out into them. Ironically, the first thing that popped into his head was what his father would think should he happen to look out his window, which was across the courtyard, and see his sons and the Prince of Mirkwood scaling the building.
The image that came with that thought was not a happy one. In fact, it was something that he only thought of in his worst nightmares, namely paperwork till the end of his life. And though he was mortal, Dúnedain, that was still a very long time. And it would only be heightened by the angry chief advisor who would be breathing down his neck, letting him have no rest. He shuddered and began to climb faster. That last thing he wanted was to get caught right here.
Above him Elladan had already managed to hoist himself on the balcony outside Erestor's window. The older twins now had his face pressed against the glass and was looking into the advisor's office. It sorely reminded Estel of a naughty child. Seconds later, his brother came to the edge of the balcony and shouted down to them. "He's not here, hurry up!"
The elves and mortal still hanging precariously from the vines gave the elf on the balcony dirty looks before continuing scaling the walls. Legolas was the next to climb over the railing, he did it was such grace and poise that Estel almost thought it looked easy. Seconds later, when his turn came, he found it was just the opposite. He could barely hoist his body over the ledge. It wasn't his fault his mortal body weighed more than either of the twins or Legolas'.
When he finally managed to hook a foot over the railing, he pulled himself up, pretending all the while not to notice the hand that his eldest brother was offering him. Seconds later, Elrohir too pulled himself on to the balcony, with almost a much ease and grace and Legolas. Finally, they were all on the balcony.
"Into the warg's den, then," Elladan said cheerfully, reaching for the door. Which, to all of their surprise, was open.
Elrohir smiled broadly. "And here I brought my lock picking tools and everything," he sighed. Then he turned to his brother, "He's really losing his touch you know."
Elladan nodded seriously. "Yes," he agreed, "A very bad mistake to make, not locking ones door."
"Quite grievous," Elrohir agreed, "He going to regret it," the twin added.
"Absolutely," the older twin said, though to the others it sounded more like a promise.
The quartet entered the room, which Legolas noticed smelled of parchment and ink. The room was airy enough, the Silvan elf noted, though something about it spoke of forbiddance for those that entered. Legolas pushed the thought out of him mind; he wasn't going to skip out now. No matter how afraid of the other elf he was. "What are we looking for again?" Legolas asked, as they progressed into Erestor quarters. His eyes traveled to a stack of neatly shuffled paper, on which precise and near perfect lettering could be made out.
"Here it is," Elladan said, walking up to a large cabinet. The cabinet was ornately decorated; in fact it was the only thing in the room that was decorated. It was apparent that Erestor preferred to live humbly. Save the cabinet, everything else was very plain and functional.
Elladan pulled on the doors of the cabinet and grew puzzled when they didn't opening. However, his puzzled expression soon changed. "Paranoid, isn't he?" he commented to Elrohir.
"He should be," was the twin's response. Elrohir then pulled a small tool from his belt and began to pick the lock on the cabinet. "After all these years, I didn't expect anything else."
"But he left the balcony open," Elladan reminded his twin, "We'll have to take off points for that."
"Yes," Elrohir agreed, concentrating on the lock. "He's only going to get an eight out of ten this time."
There was a slight click, and suddenly the door to the cabinet swung open to reveal several bottles of ink. "Perfect," Elladan said, and then he pulled a small bottle from his breast pocket. And he uncorked one of the ink bottles and added a little of the liquid of the bottle from his pocket into it. He did this for each of the ink bottles, until each had some of the liquid in Elladan's hand. Then the elder twins shut the doors to the cabinet, which locked when they made contact.
"Well then," Elladan said, however he stopped when something caught his eyes. He made a beeline towards Erestor's desk, and added the rest of the mixture in his hand to the inkwell on the advisor's desk. "There," the twins said.
"I think it's time to go," Legolas said suddenly. The twins and Estel looked at him; Legolas' was looking at the door at the back of the room. "I think I hear him coming," the prince added.
The twins smiled. "Well," Elladan said cheerfully, "As much as I would like to stay here and examine Erestor's quarters, I do believe I'm needed elsewhere."
"Agreed," Elrohir said. And then a quickly as they could, the group hurried toward the balcony and climbed like their lives depended on it. Which Estel thought, did for if Erestor caught them, they would be worse than dead.
When they had finally all made it back to the room, Elladan making up the rear, Legolas spoke up. "I can't believe we actually did that," the prince said.
"I can't believe we weren't caught," Elrohir said.
"Neither can I," Estel agreed, "Can you imagine if he caught us?" The rest of the room's inhabitants got rather pained expressions on their faces.
"I'm just glad Elladan and Elrohir didn't fall," Legolas said, smiling at the twins. There was a slight pausing, and then all hell broke loose.
"Excuse me?" both twins asked in unison, both sounding equally incredulous.
"Perhaps I will," Legolas responded, a thoughtful expression on his face. To anyone who knew him well, however there was a sparkle of defiance in his blue eyes that hinted at his true intentions.
"Fall? Us?" Elrohir asked, looking at the blond. "The climb must have addled your brain, little prince, or at least, you'd better hope that's the problem," the elf added menacingly.
"Perhaps the climb has upset him," Elladan added, looking as though he would give Legolas a really reason to be upset "After all, wood elves are delicate creatures."
Now it was Legolas' turn to give the twins a dark glare. "Delicate?" he questioned, "I think not. I could have scaled that wall faster that both of you," Legolas stated, "With Estel on my back." He added for good measure.
Elrohir walked over to the window, "Care to test that bet?" he asked.
"Now," Estel began, trying to separate his brothers. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he didn't want to be on anyone's back while they were trying to best his brothers at something. "Don't start betting anything!"
Both twins looked disappointed. "Very well," Elrohir said, stepping away from the window. Though, Estel could see something green and shiny in the younger twin's hand. He didn't have to ponder what it was for long, for a second after coming to rejoin the group, Elrohir placed a couple vine leaves in the shape of a crown on Legolas' head. "We," Elrohir declared dramatically, "Name you Legolas Vine Climber!" the younger twin said.
"You shall forever be remembered for you bravery scaling the great walls of Rivendell," Elladan supplied. And then the three sons of Elrond dissolved into peals of laughter all at the expense of the very angry wood elf.
Elrond adjusted his circlet for the umpteenth time that evening. Why couldn't this thing stay in place? He wondered. It wasn't as though he was engaging in dancing, after all that was something elf lords did very rarely. Perhaps, the little voice in his head began, if you stop fidgeting with it, it wouldn't be falling out right now. Elrond was really beginning to hate that little voice. Was it really his fault he was nervous about what would happen tonight? After all, the account he had earlier heard from Erestor would have scared just about anyone.
Elrond could remember the … frazzled, (yes, word just about summed it up) state his chief advisor had been in when he had come to his office. It had been earlier today. He had just been finishing some papers, when Erestor had, and there was no other word for it, barged into his office. At first, Elrond was too shocked to question the other elf; indeed he could barely understand his chief advisor's rapid words. But from it he heard two distinct words that summed up the rest. 'Twins' and 'Glorfindel.' (There had been a third he had understood, and that was 'books', though he had disregarded it.)
"Erestor!" Elrond had said, or really shouted. "Please mellon-nin, why don't you have a seat," Elrond said, taking his advisor by the shoulders and pushing him into a chair. Elrond then seated himself. "Now," he began, looking at the face of his obviously distressed advisor. "Please tell me what has you troubled."
Erestor looked at his lord. "I'm rather…" Erestor paused. How should he word this? After all the first thing that came to his mind was, I going to kill your sons before they kill me, but he decided that was a little too much, so he settled with. "I'm apprehensive about attending the feast tonight."
Elrond raised an eyebrow. Since when had Erestor been 'apprehensive' about attending a feast? Elrond knew the reclusive advisor didn't share the same appreciation of feasts that his sons and the Prince of Mirkwood did, but he wouldn't go as far to say that Erestor was 'apprehensive' about them. "May I question why you might be 'apprehensive' about this feast?" he quarried.
From there Erestor had told Elrond his theory about just what his sons and their friend were going to do to him to bring about his doom. The advisor had basically asked to be excused from the feast. Something Elrond denied him, as he knew it wouldn't look good if his chief advisor, no matter how neurotic and exhausted he was, wasn't present to meet the diplomats.
Elrond sighed. After that little conversation with Erestor, in which the other had made him promise to stop his sons, he had found the twins, Estel and their friend and stopped them. Or so he thought. He wasn't sure how much good it was going to do; after all he had never been able to stop his sons before. He just hoped this time they would listen to reason, and not do something foolish while diplomats from their grandparent's lands were here.
Speaking of said people, Elrond thought, he wondered where Captain Maeron had gotten off to. He had a few things he needed to discuss with the elf. As he made his way through the crowds, searching for the captain, Elrond distinctly saw Erestor standing in the center of the crowd. Elrond watched the other for a few moments, a puzzled stare taking over his features. Since when had Erestor stood in the center of the crowd? If there was one thing he knew about Erestor, it was that the other elf was as much of a recluse as Glorfindel was an extrovert. For all the mithril in Arda, Elrond could not figure out why the other was standing in the center of the large crowd.
The answer quite literally ran into him. "Sorry, Ada!" Estel apologized after nearly bowling his foster father over.
"No harm," Elrond brushed off Estel apology, glancing back at Erestor. Ah, so you plan to hide yourself in the crowd, he thought. Then he turned his attentions back to his son. "Have you seen Captain Maeron?" he asked the boy.
Estel thought for a moment. "Perhaps over there," he said vaguely, pointing to his left, where the crowds were the densest. "Not too long ago actually."
"Thank you, ion-nin," Elrond said with a sigh. How was he supposed to find the other in that crowd? "I wish you a happy feast," he said to son. Estel smiled congenially and then headed towards the doors and disappeared into the crowd. Elrond frowned, where are you going? Elrond wondered as he watched his son's disappearing back. The answer hit him seconds after Estel completely vanished. Elrond's frown deepened, whatever you're up to with your brothers and Legolas, I hope you know what you're getting into, he thought and then he shook his head and continued his search for the Captain from Lorien.
Estel was looking for his brothers and Legolas. He knew that had gone ahead and been very merry with several maidens. He could see Elladan dancing with a pretty maid. And as he pushed his way towards the exit, he spotted Elrohir talking with another. The one he still hadn't spotted was Legolas. The blond was nowhere to be found. Estel smirked, 'innocent ears,' he thought, thinking back to his brothers earlier comments.
Sighing, he quietly exited the hall and went out into the courtyards. During most of these occasions this was his haven; he had never quite enjoyed the dancing and merry making that came with festivals. He remembered the first time he had had a drinking contest with his brothers at one of the feasts; it had been his first and last. He woke up the next morning in his room with the most awful headache and no recollection of how he'd gotten it, not to mention how he'd ended up back in his rooms or why, when he went down to breakfast, everyone was smirking at him. That incident had killed his willingness to like feasts.
Estel progressed down the hallway as quietly as he could. He hadn't needed to be quiet, in fact he could have thrown several of the stone statues around and no one would have noticed. Everyone was at the feast. So Estel continued down the hallway, a small pouch that he had cleverly concealed in his tunic now dangling from his hand.
He turned a sharp right and headed towards the family's quarters. Once there he progressed down the last door on the right. Glorfindel's room.
At the door, Estel pulled his lock pick from his pocket and began to try to jimmy the lock. A flash of gold caught his eye, and Estel jumped. He was quite sure that Glorfindel had returned and that he was going to be dead for trying to enter the lord's rooms. However, he when he looked up he saw nothing. Estel looked again, sure he seen a flash of blond. I must have been mistaken, he reasoned. And then he continued to pick the lock.
After another minute, he heard the click and the door swung open. Estel gathered himself and his belongings and entered the room. Glorfindel's room, in contrast with Erestor's, were very lavish. Large heavy drapery hung from the walls and beautiful ornate furniture filled the room's interior. Estel passed all of this and went over to the dresser. There, on top of it, sat a few bottles.
Estel picked up the first and sniffed it, he almost dropped it. The smell of the contents, whatever they were, caused his eyes to water. He set the bottle down hastily and reached for another, and sniffed it too, though this time more tentatively. This time he wasn't overwhelmed by the smell, this one was gentler and cleaner smelling.
Estel smiled, this one was the right one; that is, if Elladan's instructions were correct, he thought. Estel reached into the pouch and pulled a bottle from it. Then without another thought, he added all of the small bottles contents to the Glorfindel's bottle.
He smiled at his handiwork, and closed the lid back on the bottle. Then he collected his things and exited the room. Estel could feel his heart hammering in his chest. Had he really just done that? They were all going to die, he realized rather morbidly.
Estel entered the great hall and began to search for his brothers. He found them talking with Alassiel. "Greetings Estel," she said smiling when she saw him. His brothers smiled too, though they're looked slightly wicked.
"Greetings Alassiel," he said, giving her a bow. "Have my brothers' been bothering you?"
Alassiel laughed, "No, just keeping me company. Maeron had to go to speak with Lord Elrond and since I'm unable to dance, they were kind enough to give up their precious time to sit with me. It was quite generous of them."
Elladan smiled at her. "It is our pleasure. And we are very glad to see you, it's been so long."
"Yes," Alassiel agreed, "Ever since Ar-I mean I left, I haven't gotten to see you much," Alassiel finished quickly.
"I think I see Maeron and Adar now," Elrohir said, Estel gave his brother a quizzical look. What was going on? "Come Alassiel, I have something I need to discuss with your husband," and without another word Elrohir led the lady off.
"What was that about?" Estel asked his remaining brother.
Elladan looked at Estel for a moment and then sighed and said. "Alassiel friend's mother died a few years ago," he began, not looking at Estel. Which was something that caused Estel to not be inclined to believe him. "She left with her friend. It's a touchy subject for her," Elladan concluded. For some reason, Estel got the feeling he was being lied to.
It's not important, Estel thought. And then he smiled at his brother, "I've done it," he said quietly.
Elladan's face lit up. "Oh," the twin said, a wicked grin on his fair face, "How did that go? Is it ready?"
The rest of the feast went as planned for the four, save one surprises. Legolas. The blond elf returned to the feast around midnight, completely disheveled. Legolas' normally well groomed hair was mused and his tunic rumpled. Despite his shady appearance, he looked very pleased with himself. Until the twins saw him…"What?" he snapped at the snide grins and whistles that were sent his way, most complements of the twins.
"Innocent Ears," Estel supplied, once again Legolas turned red and then to save the rest of his dignity went off in search of more wine. When he returned, the twins still had suggestive grins on their faces. Legolas merely glanced at them and took a dignified drink from him goblet.
"Did you have nice time?" Elladan asked casually. Legolas didn't seem to hear him and took another sip of wine.
"Was she worth it?" Elrohir asked inching towards Legolas, who promptly took an even great drink of wine.
"Leave him be," Estel said, "I fear if you don't, we will either have a drowned elf or a very intoxicated one."
The twins sighed and looked putout. "How would he explain that to his father? Imagine, his own son addicted to wine," Elrohir sighed dramatically.
"True, true brother," Elladan agreed, and then he turned once more to survey the great hall. Upon seeing a certain person rise to retire, he nudged his brother, grinning like a madman.
"Look who's leaving," he said, instantly three heads turned to see Lord Erestor rising from his chair.
"He's certainly not leaving yet," Legolas said, looking like the Midsummer's Day had come early. "It's only midnight; I thought he would mingle with the ladies before retiring."
"Prince of Mirkwood," Elladan huffed, sounding very much like the previously mentioned advisor. "He's an advisor of our dear father; do you really think he would partake in such activities?" Elladan questioned in a dignified manner.
"Glorfindel does," Elrohir supplied; both smiled wickedly. Then Elrohir turned to Elladan, a suggestive grin on his face. "Are you thinking what I am thinking dear brother?"
"Oh yes, what a nice prank that would be," Elladan said with a dangerous smile. Legolas and Estel looked to one another, and shrugged, as they called it, this was a "twin" moment.
"Come," Estel beckoned with a smile, "I have to see this."
"See it?" Elladan said incredulously, "I trust that all of Imladris will hear it!" And with merry laughter the quartet set off after Elrond's poor chief advisor.
Anyway, what will the twins and Estel do? What were these pranks? Well you're just going to have to review and find out!
Kuramagal