To Elrohir's disappointment, the search for the remaining spiders that had migrated into the Wood-elves' territory took place a few days hence. He was perforce obliged to be content with his brother and Legolas' recounting of the hunt much to his displeasure for so rousing were their tales that he truly rued not having a part in them. But even he had to own himself unready for such an arduous undertaking while his body still contended with the spider's potent venom.
He listened with interest and increasing amusement as Elladan waxed fulsomely about Legolas' abilities on the field.
"You should have seen him, gwenneth!" the older twin enthused. "Three spiders converging on his position and what does he do? Blinds one with his knife, riddles another with arrows and skewers the last with his sword! I swear, I have never seen the like!"
Legolas' reddened cheeks, brought on by Elladan's praise, turned even more crimson under Elrohir's fond regard. The Elf-knight's eyes sparkled with warmth and admiration.
"You make too much of me," the prince protested. "I did not have much of a choice. It was either fight or end up in those monsters' bellies. I had no desire to provide a meal for them!"
"I doubt you need fear that," Elrohir said. "You have proven your mettle in battle to have roused Elladan's enthusiasm so. You will do your family proud yet, Calenlass."
Legolas started in surprise. "Green leaf?" he echoed
"'Tis but another rendering of your name," Elrohir said.
The prince stared at him. Then he suddenly broke into a brilliant smile. He liked the name. And it pleased him greatly that the younger twin should count him close enough to bestow it upon him. Elrohir smiled back, seeing his friend's pleasure.
Neither noticed Elladan's uplifted eyebrows. Only after Legolas had left their chamber did Elrohir take note of his twin's expression.
"What?" he asked.
Elladan narrowed his eyes curiously. "A pet name, Elrohir?" he remarked. "So soon?"
Elrohir shrugged. "I like him well. We both do," he answered. "I would have him our good friend and not just a passing acquaintance." He looked pointedly at his brother. "Don't you?"
"Of course, I do," Elladan said. "But you are not given to making such precipitate decisions, tôr neth."
"Meaning I am slow to choose my friends," the younger twin said. "And I will continue to be so, Elladan, but Legolas is different. He hides nothing from us and therefore we already know he is more than worthy of our trust and regard. There is no need for caution in his case."
Elladan nodded slowly. "You have a point," he conceded. "I must own myself amazed at his openness with us. 'Tis surprising."
"Mayhap he senses as we do that our friendship is meant to be."
"Mayhap." Of a sudden, Elladan grinned impishly. "Have you given thought to my plan for the farewell dinner?" he asked, changing the subject abruptly. "'Tis but little more than a week from now and we will need time to do it if you agree with me."
Elrohir grinned back. "I have given thought to it and think it a most excellent idea, gwanur. But we will need to keep it secret if 'tis to be successful."
Elladan chuckled. "I am sure a certain prince of Mirkwood will help us in this and not breathe a word of it to any."
Elrohir started to snicker then frowned slightly. "But Naneth? Think you she will forgive us? She put in much time and effort after all."
The older twin airily waved away his brother's concern. "She will be upset at first," he agreed. "But not for long. She never is. And besides, she trusts our taste."
Elrohir relaxed. "I imagine our hosts will be well pleased," he said.
"More than pleased, tôr nîn," Elladan amended. "Flattered would be nearer the mark. So, are we to do this?"
Elrohir laughed softly. "You had best call Legolas back in here then," he suggested. "We do not have much time."
Elladan nodded in merry acquiescence and went off in search of their friend.
"You want my father to do WHAT?!" Mithrael exclaimed. "Are you insane?"
"I am in full possession of my faculties," Legolas calmly replied. "Come now, mellon, 'tis but a small favor I am asking of you."
"Small?" the scholarly Elf sputtered. "Lady Celebrian will roast me alive if she ever finds out about my part in this."
"Ah, then you are agreed to have a part in this," Legolas grinned.
Mithrael groaned. "Legolas, why me? Why my adar?"
"Because I have already assured the gwenyn as to your father's skill and that he has taken care of my family's needs since I can remember. And you, being the apple of your parents' eyes, are the perfect Elf to get him to do this."
Mithrael stalled desperately. He knew that eventually Legolas would wear his resistance down. So had the prince done since their infancies. "I do not wish to earn Lord Elrond's ire," he protested.
"And how will he find out about you?" Legolas pointed out. "If you keep your silence, none will be the wiser as to the part you played in this."
"That's what you said when you convinced us to help you infest the ladies' public bath with mice!" Mithrael retorted. "And look what happened."
"That's because Sirgon lost his nerve and did not guard his tongue well enough," Legolas pointed out. "Otherwise, no one would have known 'twas us who set the rodents free in the bathing chamber."
Mithrael rolled his eyes. "Ada will never countenance this!"
"He will if you tell him 'tis for the greater good."
"The greater good?!"
"Aye, tell him 'tis for diplomacy's sake."
Mithrael was incredulous. "With the twins involved?" he choked. "He will never believe me."
Legolas shrugged. "I am sure your ingenuity is more than equal to the task of thinking up a reasonable excuse."
His friend was about to come up with another protest when his eyes suddenly turned thoughtful.
"Not the twins," he said musingly. "Ada will never swallow that. But perhaps Lord Glorfindel and Master Erestor..." He pursed his lips distractedly. "They are diplomats after all."
Legolas chuckled, knowing his victory was all but ensured once he got his friend thinking on the matter. "And what will you say when he asks why they did not come to him personally?"
Mithrael frowned. "Their schedule is rather hectic this week," he said. "I can say you told them of his skill and they then asked me to run this errand for them."
Legolas clapped a hand on the other Elf's shoulder. "I knew I could count on you, meldir," he grinned.
Mithrael seemed to come back to himself with a start. He groaned once more as he realized what he had committed himself to.
"Ai, Legolas, you will be the death of your friends yet!" he growled. "Your long-suffering friends I might add!"
The prince laughed merrily. "But you must admit you have never been bored while in my company!"
"And even less so with the twins around," Mithrael added. "Indeed, I scarcely remember a day of calm since their arrival." He regarded Legolas curiously as the prince snickered in agreement. "You truly like them, don't you?" he remarked. "I have never seen you so alive in all our years of comradeship."
Legolas nodded smilingly. "In their company, I am alive," he admitted. "They bestir something in me that even my own brothers are not capable of."
"Or your childhood friends."
Legolas stared at Mithrael in dismay. "I did not mean to belittle your worth to me, Mithrael!" he said. "You and Sirgon and Heledir are dear to me and always will be."
Mithrael shook his head. "I was not chiding you, ernil nîn," he said. "I can guess at the reason for the brethren's effect on you. They are like you in so many ways; indeed, they are your equals. And so with them, you can be yourself, just another Elf of Eryn Galen. In this I am happy for you, Legolas, for I have seen how ill-at-ease you are playing your princely role though you carry it off so well few have marked it."
Legolas looked at him with warm gratitude. "And you are one of the few. You are truly a scholar, Mithrael," he murmured. "Thank you for understanding."
His friend smiled. "Think nothing of it," he replied. And then the apprehension came back into his features. "Are you certain you want to go through with this?" he asked, half hoping the prince would reconsider.
Legolas laughed out loud. The ponderous mood had passed.
"Aye, mellon nîn, I most definitely do," he chuckled. "Now, make certain of your father's complicity in this. He must hold his peace or the surprise will be ruined."
For the third time, Mithrael groaned.
Hardly had Mithrael started on his mission when Legolas commenced one of his own. The following morning, he and the twins rode out with nary a word to anyone as to either their destination or purpose. All the sentries were able to impart to their exasperated king was that they had headed in an easterly direction.
Thus, when they failed to reappear in the next three days, it was perfectly understandable that their sires and dams thought the worst had befallen them. Thranduil was just about to mount a massive search for them when, on the morning of the fourth day, all three princes suddenly returned. They looked well and rather self-satisfied. And all three were just this side of tipsy.
The Elvenking promptly ordered all three into his study where assiduous questioning elicited the information that, at the twins' behest, they had paid a visit to the human city of Esgaroth to the east. The discovery provided great relief for Thranduil and Ithilwen. The denizens of Esgaroth traded regularly with the folk of the Woodland Realm. They were quite used to seeing Elves in their midst though probably none as fair as the three lordlings who had so recently partaken of their hospitality.
After ascertaining that none of their sons were suffering from anything more life-threatening than the noxious effects of dwarven ale, Ithilwen and Celebrian finally withdrew from the study. The three youths, however, remained were they were, sprawled upon the long couch beneath the tall windows of the chamber. Under their respective fathers' jaundiced eyes.
Neither Thranduil nor Elrond were all that sanguine about the supposedly innocent nature of their sons' expedition into human territory. As such, they insisted that the three remain in the study, while they proceeded with their meeting with Glorfindel and Erestor. Just in case.
Their suspicions soon proved justified as evinced by the murmured conversation that took place, or rather unravelled, behind them. While far from inebriated, the young Elves had imbibed enough to render their tongues looser than usual.
"So, how did you find them, Legolas?" Elladan asked with a marked drawl.
"They are gamesome enough," Legolas replied. "But they do not seem to comprehend the concept of taking one's time."
Elrohir chuckled. "Mortals don't have as much time to take as Elves do," he pointed out. "Though I dare say part of their haste had much to do with your appearance."
"My appearance? What do you mean?"
"They likely feared you would disappear before they could get more than a taste of your considerable charms," Elladan teased.
Legolas was not the only one to turn bright red. Thranduil was also seen to flush quite deeply while Elrond choked at this display of his sons' all too lubricious humor. Their discomfiture had Glorfindel and Erestor wondering if they should tactfully take their leave.
"Still, there is nothing like an Elf-maid to satisfy one's needs," Elrohir sagely remarked.
"Aye, their endurance is such that they can last the whole night if necessary," Elladan agreed. "Mortal women tire after a while, I fear."
"Yet they do have their merits," Legolas suddenly quipped, "if the wench who kept me company last night was any indication of their abilities."
This time, it was Thranduil who choked. Elrond, on the other hand, trained a look on his counsellors that warned them not to breathe a single word of the disreputable exchange to anyone. Both Elves solemnly nodded their acquiescence.
"Ai, you are learning!" Elrohir chortled.
Legolas grinned. "Well, 'twas you who taught me so well, mellyn," he said. "You have my eternal gratitude."
Elladan snickered. "You haven't learned the half of it yet, cunneth," he cooed. His brother concurred. "There is so much more out there for you to sink your teeth into."
The double entendre was not lost on his brother or friend and both burst out in appreciative laughter. Their sires, however, were not so amused.
"'Tis a pity your people have chosen to limit their horizons," Elrohir commented. "They do not know what they are missing."
Legolas looked at him curiously. "In what manner have we limited ourselves? What are we missing?"
"The ancient path," Elladan answered carelessly.
Elvenking and Elvenlord froze in the same instant.
"The what path?" Legolas innocently inquired.
"Pyn neth," Elrond suddenly intoned, fastening a quelling glare on his too voluble sons. "I suggest you sleep off that foul brew you consumed."
Uttered in just that tone, his disarmingly mild reproof had a most electrifying effect on the brethren. Casting guilty looks at each other, the twins swiftly rose to their feet, pulling Legolas along with them, and hastily complied with their father's wish.
As the door closed behind them, Elrond sat back and rubbed his suddenly throbbing temple.
"That was too close," Erestor murmured.
Thranduil nodded and sighed. "Thank you, Elrond," he said.
The Elf-lord looked up and wanly smiled. "Your son will discover the truth eventually," he reminded the king. "Particularly if he continues to keep company with mine."
"I am well aware of that," Thranduil agreed. "But I'd rather he finds out later than sooner. He is still so very young."
"He is hardly an innocent any longer," Glorfindel softly pointed out.
The Elvenking nodded. "Thanks in large part to the twins," he said. "I suppose I should be grateful that he came under their able tutelage." He waited for the rueful chuckles to die down. "But to tell him of the ancient path is a task I would rather put off for now. The knowledge would completely upend everything he knows about our race. I would prefer that he be a little more prepared for such a revelation than he is at present."
"That is understandable," Elrond said. "Forgive my sons for their indiscretion. 'Twas not intentional."
"I know. Too much drink will oft lead to loose talk. Thankfully, it can also cloud memory. I doubt Legolas will remember what they said."
"Nonetheless, I shall have a word with them," Glorfindel decided. He glanced at Elrond for permission. "We cannot afford more mistakes of this nature."
Elrond had to smile. If there was one Elf other than himself that the twins earnestly hearkened to, it was Rivendell's golden captain. But after all, one did not lightly cross a being who had battled a Balrog to the death and lived a second life to talk about it.
Thranduil shook his head of a sudden. a grin tugging at his otherwise stern mouth. "There has not been so much excitement in my halls since we marched to Mordor in the last age," he said. "I wonder if this alliance is really all that necessary. Should the Dark Lord rise once more, we could simply send your sons to Mordor. I wager he would quit Middle-earth soonest than endure the twins' company for eternity!"
Mercifully, the king proved right and Legolas did not recall the twins' alarming slip of the tongue. And, amazingly, the remaining days before the departure of the Rivendell party passed without incident. That is, incidents of any magnitude. Whether this was due to the influence of Rivendell's resident Balrog slayer, the brethren's own sense of culpability at nearly letting the cat out of the proverbial bag, or a combination of both, did not matter in the least. The residents of the royal halls were of one accord. This was a most welcome respite and they all took advantage of it to catch their collective breaths.
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Greenleaf and Imladris 1. Meldir: At First Sight by Eresse
Chapter end notes: tôr nîn - my brother
Naneth - Mother
gwanur - brother/kinsman
tôr neth - little brother
Adar - Father
cunneth - princeling
